


RE: Determined Fate

by TheNexusCore



Category: Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 | Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World (Anime), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Slight Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Glitchtale elements, Hate is a bro, I call haxx, I might be overusing these tags, I still have no idea what's going on anymore, Inspired by Glitchtale, PRINCE RYUTENSEI, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Prequel to something that doesn't exist yet, References to Undertale, Reincarnation, Reinhard is best boi, Royal Selection Shenanigans, Ryushinigami "Ryushi" Kurogami, Ryushinsei "Ryusei" Shiraga, Ryuuto has a crush on Ram, Ryuuto is sadly used to dying, Ryuuto is the final Royal Candidate, Ryuuto is too Determined for this world, Ryuuto might have some trauma, Small Harem, Soul Bond, Split Personalities, Still a lot of death per this fandom, Supernatural Elements, This is RE: ZERO after all, Why Did I Write This?, absolute chaos, maybe horror, oh well, reincarnation shenanigans, sorta mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 145,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27186424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNexusCore/pseuds/TheNexusCore
Summary: One young teen arrives in an entirely new world after a disastrous fight with his omnicidal sibling. Only armed with his Soul, the clothes on his back, and what Gold he had left, he sets out to try and survive in this new world without abusing his powers. But he underestimated this world's ferocity somewhat. This wasn't home, this wasn't anything he was used to. He just hoped his Determination would be enough to allow him to find the best path to this world's Golden Ending. After all, being a savior was all he knew. Here came the Determined Mage from Another World!
Relationships: Echidna the Witch/Original Male Character, Emilia/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Ram, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Rem (Re:Zero)/Original Character(s), Satella/Original Male Character, sorta Minerva (Re:Zero)/Original Male Character, suggested Crusch Karsten/Original Male Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. The Soul of Peace In Another World

Pure white.

A pure white landscape was all that existed, a wasteland; a destroyed Universe. Standing on two of the only few pieces of land were two brothers, now rivals; a broken family that was once loving and now only filled with hate and resentment.

On the left, stood our protagonist, the 15-year-old Ryutensei “Ryu” James Henderson-Shock (also known as Ryuuto), youngest child of Shinra Markus Shock and Emily Jospehine Henderson. His hair was a snow white color with a singular streak of red going through its spiky and messy form. His eyes, filled with unadulterated fury and hate, were heterochromic; one was blood red and glowing with Determination. The other was yellow-green, but the thing that was the same with both eyes was that their whites were blacked out with the corruptive essence of  **Hate** . He wore a dull gray jacket that was left open, revealing a black t-shirt, along with black pants and black shoes. In his left hand was a extremely sharp sword, colored red and made entirely of magic. His magic, the Magic of the Red Soul,  **Determination** . On his back was a bow, colored yellow and also made of Magic, but this one was made of the Yellow Soul of  **Justice** ’s Magic.

On the right, stood Ryutensei’s current enemy, his older brother Blaze “Athab” Shock (he left behind their mother’s name apparently). His hair color was a stark contrast to Ryu’s own, colored orange-red with yellow dashed into it, looking like a blazing forest fire was infused into the messy mop of hair on his hair. His hair, while messy and spiky in its own right, liked to follow gravity’s laws a little more than his younger brother’s, as parts of it framed his face and partially shadowed his orange eyes that seemed to glow like hot coal. His clothing was much more monotonous than his brothers, all decked out in variants of a dull gray. In his blood and dust-stained hands were black flames, Blaze’s advanced fire magic that gave him his nickname “Athab”, which was Arabic for Hellfire and the ‘coolest’ fire-related nickname his brother’s former friends could come up with. The two glared at each other, but Blaze seemed much more casual in his posture, as if he didn’t find his younger brother threatening at all. It was Ryu who spoke first. “What was the point of this, Blaze? You just committed genocide on a completely unseen scale!”

Blaze shrugged, his eyes glowing with barely repressed insanity. “Meh, I was originally thinking those Monster freaks were holding you captive. You know the stories about their species has always painted them in a negative light.” That didn’t help the pyromancer’s case at all, as in Ryu’s left hand formed a glowing spear of Ice Magic, catching Blaze’s attention. He didn’t know his brother had a Ice-elemental affinity, he originally thought he was just going to be a basic Soul Magic User.

“Since when does a baseless suspicion like that mean you can commit genocide not only against Monsters, but the entire universe as a whole?! You just eradicated  _ countless _ timelines!” Ryu snapped, causing Blaze to sigh as an almost bored expression took over the formerly insane one.

“Wow. Did you almost forget that your friends have committed genocide too? How many times has ‘Flowey’ or ‘Asriel’ or whatever that flower kid was called kill his family and his entire race? How many times have Frisk and Chara torn away happiness from everyone around them, just after giving them everything they wanted, like cruel Gods?” Blaze scoffed. “How about Asgore? He killed 6 innocent children.” Then, immediately the genocidal teenager’s eyes lit up. “Wait, I remember! Those kids were your friends back then, right? Back in Rustcottmo?”

Almost immediately, Blaze got a reaction from his brother, who disappeared from his floating platform in a burst of speed that shattered it through the sheer force of his instant acceleration. Ryu smacked his brother with the blunt edge of his sword and then shot his Ice Spear at him with as much force as he could. The impact of the spear caused a small explosion, or at least small in comparison to the blank, timeless void around them. Blaze floated out of the explosion, barely damaged by the icy explosion of magic. “Man, I seemed to have touched a nerve there!” He laughed in a slightly manic manner. His laughter stopped when he noticed his brother’s unamused and icy (no pun intended) expression. Ryu raised his hand to the nonexistent sky, when a rumbling sound was heard, like thunder. But that should have been impossible, there was basically nothing in existence anymore, let alone anything that would have allowed for lightning. The older teen then noticed that in the younger one’s raised hand, rainbow-colored electricity could be faintly seen.

Blaze grinned, assuming his brother had some weak attack held in its hands, just by seeing the faint and weak crackles of electric energy in Ryu’s hands. At that, Ryutensei shook his head disappointedly. His brother was always like this, overconfident. Well, that was his own fault and not his problem, not anymore.  **“Shocker Breaker Absolute** .” Ryuuto called out, as a massive bolt of impossibly powerful rainbow transdimensional lightning arced from the non-existent heavens above. Blaze’s eyes widened almost comically, causing Ryuuto to smirk as an explosion that enveloped the entire Void suddenly rippled throughout the formerly beautiful universe of “Elementale”. On instinct he formed a barrier of Green Soul Magic of  **Kindness** , which protected him from about 80% of the damage before shattering. Knowing his brother was surely alive, Ryu temporarily let his  **Sword of Determination** fade away, before summoning the power of his next available Soul Magic. The Aqua Soul Magic of  **Patience** , which allowed him to summon aqua blue strings and threads that allowed him to temporarily nullify his opponent’s powers depending on their strength. He tugged his free hand back, pulling back a considerably more damaged Blaze from the remnants of the explosion, where he immediately attacked with a blazing orange punch to the face thanks to the Orange Soul Magic of  **Bravery** ’s flames. The flame-haired young man was sent flying into the infinity beyond, when Ryu summoned up yellow bullets of energy using his  **Justice** Magic, pummeling the man with blow after blow and never giving him a moment to rest or regain his bearings. He had lost any sense of mercy, and the blackness of  **Hate** was the only thing fueling him, even if he didn’t know of it. Ryu thought he was relying on his  **Corruption** , as he used to in the past.

A few moments later, Ryu’s eyes narrowed, as he waved his hand in front of him; warping the Void around him and creating his own reality with his now godlike Determination. Blaze finally regained his bearings as a side-effect of him focusing on something else for a moment, and realized they were on a carbon copy of the Earth while still within the blank emptiness. The only differences were that A) they were the only two living beings, or at least the only non-plant life; and B) the false Earth was currently 8.8x10^26 meters in size, or at least one universe’s size. While trying to figure out how this happened, Ryuuto charged at Blaze, a massive ripple of sound ejecting from where he was, yet again because of the sudden acceleration. Well, sound usually stops being sound when someone’s speed easily transcended numbers in general.

Thankfully, due to their basically matched speed and the massive ripple of pressure that gave away Ryuuto’s attack, he managed to counter the younger teen’s next strike of ice and lightning-infused sword strike with his own black flames. Fist met sword, causing a massive explosion of energy and anti-energy that tore apart the landscape around them, vaporizing land, sky, and sea for tens of billions of meters. What was once a feud between siblings turned a titanic battle between mortals-turned-Gods. From this point on in this battle, no words were exchanged. Only vicious, angry blows.

At one point, while rocketing into the atmosphere that seemingly had no end, Ryuuto gained a reckless but brilliant idea. Manipulating the Void around him and his new artificial universe-sized Earth, he was able to summon a black hole behind Blaze, who turned around just in time to teleport away from it, but that was exactly what the younger sibling was planning for. He dispelled the black hole instantly by cutting its connection to his Magic, before grabbing his brother’s flaming fist with a hand coated in Absolute Zero ice. Their clash continued in the skies, trading multiverse-eradicating blows, with the only thing keeping them from destroying the new Earth being their own willpower.

Blaze’s eyes widened ever so slightly in shock as he saw his brother’s red eye shine brightly, as the left eye representing his Determination glared into his very soul, with Ryu’s left hand twitching. Through sheer willpower and the cost of using up some of his currently massive amounts of Determination, he manipulated reality to his advantage, creating a “weapon that would let him control his own hellfire”. A silver sword, beautifully crafted with an absurdly sharp blade and a black obsidian in its golden hilt promptly appeared in Ryuuto’s hand. He then struck at his brother with his own variant of Blaze’s black fire. The man screeched in pain and dashed back in a hurry, as Ryuuto smirked confidently, dispelling the sword as he didn’t want to mess with the element of his brother at the moment.

Blaze hissed in rage, madness overtaking him as he raised his hand and summoned an absurdly large, almost galaxy-sized black fireball. Ryuuto closed his eyes in focus, as he began to charge up his own magic, which began to become visible from how much magic he was calling upon and how dense the power he was generating had become. He then grinned and opened them as he held two large galaxy-sized structures in his hands, which easily dwarfed him in size.  **“Galaxy Tossing!** ” Ryu called out as he tossed the attacks, while Blaze shot off his fireball.

...Time froze for one moment. Not a sound was heard, before a ripple of immeasurable power exploded outwards when the attacks collided. The environmental effects were beyond anything ever seen to a planet, due to the size of it and the size of the attacks. Tornadoes and hurricanes wracked the surface of the universe-sized planet for quadrillions of miles, along with volcano eruptions and tsunamis. Thunder and lightning arced from the clouds that remained, adding to the tension between the duo. Ryuuto knew he didn’t have Ryushi to rely on here, so he had to use whatever magic he had left to finally finish off his insane brother… for good. It was for his brother’s own good too, he wanted his brother’s soul to be able to pass on and rejoin his family wherever they were.

Ryuuto put his hands out, as a dark blue glow surrounded both him and the disoriented Blaze, pulling them to Earth at what was essentially relatvistic speeds. Once they hit the floor, they glared at each other, their clothes damaged with their entire bodies riddled with cuts and bruises. Ryu panted tiredly, as he was almost entirely out of Magic, and if his brother’s panicked face said anything; he was willing to bet he was in the same boat as him. He slowly staggered up, taking shaky steps towards his brother before appearing next to Blaze’s side, kicking them into a mountain that was light years away from their position. Ryuuto was about to take a breath to try and regain his strength a bit, but found himself on the receiving end of a blazing punch to the gut. He hacked up blood before glaring at Blaze, slamming his knee into their ribcage in retaliation. From there, the battle of titans went right back to being a spat between brothers.

Even the black tint behind Ryuuto’s eyes disappeared, as  **Hate** finally went dormant from the amount of magic it expended to assist its unwitting host. The resulting fist fight without their Magic to regulate their strength was brutal and bloody. No damage was dealt to the environment anymore, no, it was just a deadly 1v1 now; where neither could gain the upper hand on the other for very long. Ryuuto then felt a sudden surge of power, and grinned inwardly when he saw that his brother unknowingly just gave him a temporary Magic source and another chance at a spell from being determined in his presence. But he couldn’t let Blaze know that, not a chance!

He staggered back, watching his brother try to catch his breath. Ryu focused and pushed some of his remaining magic into his legs, appearing in front of Blaze again and shocking him as he kicked them into the air with a sonic kick. The flame-haired man growled in anger and impatience as he ignited his left hand with whatever remnants of Magic he had, and letting gravity take its course as he rocketed at Ryuuto at relativistic speeds. Ryu frowned briefly as he tried to think of a spell that could help him in this situation that wouldn’t kill him from Magic exhaustion. He then felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, where his alternate self Ryushi stood in a ghost-like form, smiling as he sent his own remaining Magic into Ryu’s body. It was only enough to create a small ice crystal, due to Ryushi’s reserves being as drained as his own from a previous fight just two months ago, but it was something. He charged into the sky and met the attack of his brother head on, where he felt something resonate in his soul. A familiar and comforting feeling surged into him, red and yellow-green eyes temporarily turning into a polychromatic rainbow; his ice crystal increasing in power and size. Soon it pierced through the black flames of his brother’s attacks, right into his heart and finally dealing the final blow as a final explosion ricocheted throughtout the void and destroyed the universe-sized planet for good.

* * *

**_RE: DETERMINED_ **

**_Act 1, Chapter 01 - The Soul of Peace in Another World (別の世界の平和の魂)_ **

* * *

The next moment when Ryuuto opened his eyes, there was nothing but blinding white. That sensation was immediately erased when he blinked a few times, though he found himself… somewhere he was definitely not familiar with. The battered and beaten teen looked around confusedly, as his wounds ever so slowly patched up on their own. “W… what? This isn’t… Earth.” Ryu muttered weakly, his voice rough and tired from the damage he took, but also slightly deeper which surprised the teen.

Ryuuto scanned his surroundings carefully, noticing the glances he was getting from humans and… demi-Monsters (he was unsure about the terminology) that were walking around. It only took a moment for him to realize something. He wasn’t in his own world. “Ah, crap…” Ryu said under his breath, realizing he’s been somehow pulled into another separate universe. His current theory was probably having to due to Blaze’s final attack colliding with his own.

**“Probably accurate too.”** A tired yet more mature and deeper voice said in his head, causing Ryu to smile visibly.

‘Ryushi, I missed ya other me. How was your nap?’ He asked the dark half of his soul, who hummed as he thought about it before responding.

**“It was alright, before I realized you were fighting someone that is. I wake up and see you duking it out with your brother in the fucking Void. How’d that happen?”** Ryushi asked incredulously, causing the red and yellow-green eyed teen to sigh.

‘Don’t ask. I’m too hungry and too tired to explain right now.’ At that Ryushi wished him well before going quiet, probably to go scan their soul’s memories and get a hold of the entire situation. Shi always was the more mature one between the two of them, and he was also a master survivalist. He trusted his alternate self. Regardless, he began walking around, looking for somewhere to rest and regain his bearings. Ryu was also noticing a dramatic drop in his power, which was fine since he didn’t really like having too many abilities and high strength, but it was concerning once he realized his Determination was shot to hell. He basically had the same amount of DT as he did when he first began his journey back in his old world, which wasn’t a lot, but was also enough for certain things.   
  
“Speaking of which…” He brought up his stat screen in front of him, a remnant of his old world that would stick with him forever due to it being linked to his soul. He frowned at his low stats though.

* * *

**_Name: Ryutensei_ **

**_Soul: Determination/Justice Hybrid (Peace) + HATE_ **

**_LOVE: 1_ **

**_HP: 10_ **

**_Max HP (Current): 35_ **

**_ATK: 17_ **

**_DEF: 17_ **

**_EXP Value: 1_ **

**_GOLD: 490_ **

**_??? Currency: 0_ **

**_Kills: 1_ **

* * *

Well, obviously from what he was seeing, his stats were basically still functional. Though his HP was still super low, which he should fix… then again he had nothing to use to heal himself so he was basically gonna have to wait for his limited Determination to fix the job. But the thing that really grabbed his attention was the thing adding onto his soul. “ **HATE** ?” He asked no one in particular, before a cheery stereotypical Australian voice popped into his head.

**_“Hey, hey! Hello there, mate! I was wondering when you’d notice me! Apparently, it takes you an entire half-hour!”_ ** The cheery voice was now just jarring. Since when was the embodiment of human Hatred across all of time and space a cheerful Australian? Almost as if  **Hate** could hear his thoughts, the sentient Enhancer spoke up again.  **_“Ah, don’t question the details mate! It’ll make your head spin! Just learn to accept there are things better left unexplained! This world would have taught you that the hard way!”_ **

“I… okay…?” Ryu blinked, deciding to try and roll with this super weird situation. It wasn’t like having a voice in his head was anything he wasn’t used to at this point, plus it was hardly the weirdest thing that happened to him in his life. He tried to ignore  **Hate** ’s rambling about what they should do to try and have ‘fun’ in this new world (most of them revolved around causing chaos or killing people), and instead focused on all his ‘data’ for lack of a better term. Ryuuto stared incredulously at his Age statistic, which now said he was ‘ _ 16, bordering 17 _ ’ instead of ‘ _ 15, bordering 16’ _ . This got weirder and weirder by the second, how’d he age up an entire year already? The suddenly older teen pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling somewhat stressed out.

He then looked to the side, noticing a young child who had tripped and was dangerously close to being run over by a carriage. Ryu sighed, raising his arm and using some of his limited  **Determination** Magic to manifest a bubble-like shield around the kid, protecting them, and then used what remaining Magic power he had to keep the carriage and the one inside of it from being harmed by the crimson barrier as well. He then retracted his dull red soul back into himself, with the barrier’s magic soon being reabsorbed into his soul, though it only gave him back half of the magic he just used to conjure the barrier.

The people around him cheered and clapped for his ‘heroic’ deed, with an armored knight walking over and patting him on the back for ‘being able to handle the situation so easily’. Apparently, people never saw magic like his before, which was information Ryu was definitely passing onto Shi. Soul magic essentially didn’t exist in the form they knew around here, this wasn’t an alternate universe. It was a completely new one, where the laws of Magic worked differently than they did back home. He was even given a few coins by some people including the knight, which only reaffirmed the fact that his GOLD wouldn’t help him too much unless he found a place to exchange them soon.

He walked past a fruit vendor’s stand and stared at the prices, realizing he couldn’t read anything here very quickly. He then looked up at the vendor, who had a small smirk on his face. “Judging by your clothes, I’d say you’re not from around here.” At the nod, the vendor took a closer look at Ryu, frowning slightly. “Man, what did you do to get yourself like this? It looks like you fought an entire army and barely survived.”

Ryu laughed nervously, inwardly happy that his blood had disappeared. His wounds were there, but at least he wasn’t a bloody mess. “Eh, don’t worry about it.” He shrugged it off, causing the vendor to sigh and back off. Ryuuto then pulled out a singular gold coin that the knight gave him. “How many apples could this get me?”

“You mean  _ appas _ , kid. And lets see…” The fruit vendor took the coin and looked over it, probably to see if it was real before smiling. “I’ll do you a favor from how banged up you look and say a basket full.” Now leaving the fruit stand with a basket full of ‘appas’, Ryu continued his journey and took a bite of an appa, feeling some of his Magic and energy be restored before he blinked. This was literally just an apple but with a different name.

“Oookay then.” He shook off the strangeness of this world again and continued his journey in this new world yet again. He eventually let  **Hate** split into two, allowing for his soul-tenant help them out by gathering information. Ryu soon learned he was in the Kingdom of Lugnica, the Dragon Kingdom. He almost laughed, due to his name meaning Dragon’s Rebirth, and he found himself reborn and resurrected in said Dragon Kingdom.

He eventually found himself hiding in an alleyway from the heat of the sun, consuming as many appas as he possibly could to restore himself to full strength. He then sighed in relief once he felt like he was back to full strength… or at least the full strength he had about 3 years ago. His Magic wasn’t at full capacity though, since eating the same type of item over and over again only helped for so long before you hit a cap. “Getting back to my peak strength again is gonna be a bitch.” Ryu groaned as he placed his half-empty basket of apples to the side. He then looked up to see a scrawny dude, a burly dude, and a dwarf. “Can I help you?” He dully asked, unimpressed by their ‘threatening’ looks.

“Yeah, you can help us by giving us everything you’ve got!” The blue-haired scrawny juvenile said, causing Ryu to get up with a bored look on his face.

“Look, I don’t have the time to deal with this shit. So if you just leave right now, I won’t have  **Hate** steal your souls.” They ignored him and walked forward, with the juvenile drawing out two knives. Ryu shook his head sadly. “I warned you.” He put his hand out, as a black substance reached out and stabbed the thugs through their chests, pulling out their souls and then absorbing them as they promptly turned to ash. “...Maybe I could have done that better.”

**“Probably. RESET?”** Ryushi suggested, coming back from his memory search. Ryu nodded and pulled up his screens again before choosing to RESET.

* * *

After a few RESETs and looking through all his courses of option, he found that killing them over and over again was… boring and unfufilling at some point. So Ryuuto chose to instead just beat the shit out of them and knock them unoncscious, introducing them to the ground before sighing. “Welp, that was a waste of time. See you all never.” He said to the unconscious bodies, before he turned around once he heard the clacking of heels near the alley he was in. He froze momentarily once his eyes locked onto her form, entirely shocked by the literal otherworldly beauty in front of him.

There stood a beautiful girl with long silver hair that flowed down her back and purple eyes that held a hint of blue. She also wore a silver flower on the right side of her head, and wore clothes of a silver and purple theme. If he had to guess, she was about 5’5 in height, just half a foot shorter than him. But another thing he noticed immediately was the angry frown on her face. He wondered what the hell happened to piss her off.

Finally, she spoke. “Are you the thief!?” She questioned angrily. Ryu blinked momentarily, before the pieces connected in his mind.

“No, but I can help you find the real one.” He replied almost instantaneously. The strange girl’s eyes narrowed, probably suspicious of him. It was understandable, sometimes even he found himself suspicious. Suddenly, a bright blue light shone over the mystery girl’s shoulder, which revealed itself to be… an absurdly adorable small cat.

Almost on instinct, Ryu rushed over and grabbed the cat in his hands, eyes wide and filled with amazement. “How is this possible? I’ve never heard of something like this before! Cats being created out of nothingness!? Amazing!” He instantly began petting the gray-furred creature, which accepted the pets wholeheartedly.

The girl before him stared, as if unable to register the scene before her, though she finally found her voice a few seconds later. “It’s… a spirit summons.” She didn’t expect for this nobody to be able to interact with her companion Puck, let alone Puck letting them do this.

“Man, I wish we had something like this back home!” Ryu laughed cheerfully, continuing to pet the cat spirit and pulling out every single petting technique he knew just for this occasion.

“Heh, for someone with a powerful aura, you’re pretty excitable.” He heard a voice say, one deep and masculine. Ryu blinked once. Twice. He looked at the cat in his hands, before asking  **Hate** and Shi if they heard what he just heard.

**“...Yep.”**

**_“Not surprised that he can talk really, I’d expect talking creatures to be a thing in this world. I mean, Monsters existed in ours, just think of him as a mini-Monster.”_** **Hate** responded boredly.

“...You just spoke. To me.” Ryu hesitantly asked the cat, who nodded in affirmation.

“Yep. Name’s Puck. What’s yours.” Puck asked. Ryuuto stared for a bit longer, before continuing to stroke Puck’s fur.

“Ryutensei. But please, just call me Ryu.” He answered slowly. This was certainly an… interesting world. The girl finally decided to intervene.

“Puck, we don’t have time for this!” The silverette said to her summons before turning to Ryu and pointing at him. “You said you can help us find the thief right?”

“Yep, that’s what I said.” Ryu distractedly replied, trying to figure out how she did this, there was no ‘summoning’ magic where he came from. “What’re you looking for anyways?”

“An insignia. About this big with a jewel in the center.” She made a circle with her fingers to show a rough estimate of its size, causing Ryu to hum in thought before nodding.

“Well, I am bored and have nothing better to do…” He then grinned, eyes glowing brightly with Magic. “Alright, my power, for the time being, is now for you to wield and command; miss… uh…”

“Satella. Call me Satella.” ‘Satella’ replied, causing Ryu to grow distrustful of the girl inwardly. He could sense she was lying. Even if he didn’t have his  _ other _ Soul Magics, there were embers of the ones he didn’t exhaust during his fight with Blaze, like  **Integrity** . And with that Magic, he could sense when people told the truth, and that was definitely not the truth.

‘Not my problem though. As long as it doesn’t get anyone killed.’ He shrugged it off, before motioning for ‘Satella’ to follow him, still petting the absurdly adorable cat named Puck.

__________________

**_RE: DETERMINED_ **

**_Chapter 01 - The Soul of Peace in Another World (別の世界の平和の魂) - END._ **

__________________


	2. Candidate from Another World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing from last time, Ryuuto found himself accompanying 'Satella' to find her insignia... but it only took him a single RESET to tell that something was off in this world.

_Ryuuto didn't know what to think of this world._

It was all foreign to him, and even with Hate acting as recon, this place was still new to him. New laws, new creatures, new magic system. It was a headache. Oh well, at least there was this cute cat in his arms. That was a single positive, at the very least. And his **Determination** still functioned here in a manner that allowed him to access his temporal powers. In a foreign world like this, he'd need to use his **RESET** ability frequently… but not too frequently, since he didn't want anomalies popping up in a new world he barely understood. It would be a tough balancing act, but he was sure with the help of **HATE** and Ryushi, he'd pull through. Speaking of said Negative Substance… 'Hey, Hate...'

" _ **Mmmyeah?"**_ **Hate** asked tiredly as if it just woke up from a nap. Knowing **Hate** , it probably did take a nap as Ryu helped Puck and Satella search for their missing insignia. Anything that didn't involve or lead to a fight would be a snoozefest for them.

'What should I call you? There's gotta be a better name for you than just calling you Hate all the time.' **Hate** sighed at that.

" _ **That's what you woke me up for mate? Wow. I don't give a single damn what you call me, really. Call me Austin for all I care."**_ Well, that was settled. Austin the edgy Australian it was. " _ **I DIDN'T CONSENT TO THAT PART!"**_ The newly dubbed Austin roared, clearly ticked off with its host's namecalling. Ryu snickered audibly in response, causing Satella to look at him in confusion.

"Is there something amusing I missed?" She asked, causing Ryu to wave her off with a smile, continuing to pet the adorable cat in his hands.

"I just remembered something funny. Nothing you need to worry about, Miss Satella." It was at this moment that Ryu felt a malicious essence nearing them, likely one of **Hate** 's fragments. He let the black essence crawl up his leg, suppressing the urge to shiver at the slimy and cold feeling of the magical goo-like creature. Once it leaked back into his bloodstream and soul, he relaxed slightly as more information flooded his mind. 'So, the animal people are called demihumans. Better than calling them fuckin' _Monsters_ , I say.'

" **Wow, you are still pissed at humanity for that move back home, aren't you?"** Ryushi commented as the darker half of Ryuuto's mind continued to filter through the information and taking note of the immediately useful things. Ryushi didn't even bother trying to answer him before he spoke up again. " **Okay, good news, we can communicate with people properly here."**

'Oh thank The Angel-'

" **Don't go thanking weird prophetical and possibly fake ideal saviors of our old world just yet. I still have some bad news. We can't read anything here."**

'Shiiiiit.' Ryu groaned inwardly but continued to act like everything was fine. 'How are my Soul magic reserves?'

" **Determination is back to stage one, I'm afraid. And your progress with the other traits has been set back to absolute zero."** Ryushi went silent for a moment. " **I… recommend you pay attention to the outside world a bit more, we can converse later. Maybe at night, we can chat when you fall asleep."**

'That'd mean I have to find a place to sleep, but alright.' Ryuuto turned his attention back to Satella, noticing that Puck had disappeared from his hands and was now resting on his shoulder. Guess the spirit was comfortable with his presence. That was cool. After some time, they ran into a lost child. Ryu instantly walked over to the green-haired child, noticing her tears before smiling. "Heya kiddo, want to see a magic trick?" He asked her in a gentle tone, kneeling in front of her as Satella and Puck watched from afar.

The child hesitantly nodded, as Ryu closed his eyes and put his hands out in front of him, cupping them as one would have done to get water from a river. He then opened his eyes, which shone intensely, before a green and blue light shone from the girl's chest and manifested as a small glowing heart. "You see that? That's your soul!" He smiled, causing the girl to giggle as she held the mixed trait soul in her hands.

"It's the same color as my eyes and hair!" She cheerfully exclaimed, staring at it in wonder before looking up at Ryu. "What's your soul like, mister?" At that Ryu went silent for a moment, asking Austin to move all of the **Hate** from their soul to his bloodstream, before pulling out his crimson and yellow soul. "Wow, its two colors just like mine!"

"Yep! We're special, y'know? Only _really_ powerful people have two traits!" He softly laughed at the awed expression of the child, before extending his hand out to her. "C'mon, my friend and I will help you look for your mommy and daddy, okay?"

"Okay, mister!" The child, who quickly introduced herself as 'Plum', took the offered hand and followed the trio of Satella, Puck, and Ryuuto. It took no less than 2 minutes for them to find Plum's mother, as the child ran off to hug her mother, causing Ryu to smile sadly. He wished he had memories of his mother, but she apparently left the family shortly after his birth. Plum turned to Ryu with a smile. "Thanks for the help mister!"

"Don't mention it kiddo! Stay kind and patient, and your soul will only grow stronger!" Ryu waved to the mother-daughter duo as they left, causing Satella to look at him curiously. Ryu glanced over at her from the corner of his eye. "Something wrong?"

"What did you mean by that? And what was that glowing object in that girl's hand? You're a strange one, y'know!" Satella questioned in rapid succession, as Ryu blinked passively as he stared at the silver-haired girl.

"...Okay then, I'll answer your questions, but later. We can't waste time when it comes to this insignia of yours, since you seemed to have been quite adamant about finding the thief earlier." The white-and-red-haired teen replied before he felt a large hand tap him on his shoulder. He turned around to see the 'appa'-vendor from before. "Ah, hello there sir. Is there something we can help you with?"

"Actually, it's the exact opposite. Is there anything I can help _you_ with? I heard from my kid here that you helped her find her mom and entertained her while she was lost. I can't let something like that go unpaid." The man replied, as Ryu briefly glanced at Plum, who was still smiling and holding her soul with a bright look in her eyes. The sight caused the teen's smile to return as he looked back at the vendor.

"It was nothing, sir. You don't have to do anything to repay us." Ryuuto tried to get the man to just take the act of kindness for granted, but he kept insisting on doing _something_ to repay them. "Right, right… well… you could answer a question for us."

* * *

" **Of course the thief would come from the slums."** Ryushi drawled boredly, viewing the world through his other half's eyes. " **Can't we just hurry up and try to use Hate to find our insignia thief?"**

'Listen, I know this place is uncomfortable for you since we didn't have anything like this back home, but its not like _we_ can do anything to help with these guy's economic crises. We're basically as broke as them until we can exchange our G for actual Luginican cash.' Ryu replied, causing the darker half of him to sigh sadly, knowing its host/other self was right.

Then, it happened. A massive wave of pure malice and bloodlust overwhelmed his senses, alarming him as the Hate inside of him reacted and manifested against his soul again. He then dashed off towards the feeling, not even bothering to try to explain where he was going or why to Puck and Satella. He stopped in front of an old house, which seemed to be the source of the negative emotions. He narrowed his eyes, sending out a pulse into his soul to awaken Austin. It took less than a second for the semi-tamed (yet still mostly malicious) creature to awaken. " _ **Mmm, fuck. Yeah, there are two dead bodies in there and a gal with a high kill count."**_ Austin seemed to get excited at the prospect of a fight. " _ **I presume you'd want me to revive the deceased after you kill their killer? Their souls are still intact after all."**_

" **But wouldn't they be infected with your essence and turned evil?"** Ryushi asked curiously, causing Austin to hum in thought.

" _ **Normally? Yes. But, unlike most counterfeit essences of Hate, I can revive things and then take away my essence; or even revive them without corrupting them… though it'd conk me out for at least a week."**_ Austin replied after a few moments. Well, that was a good idea, not like anything too crazy could happen after he defeated the killer. Ryuuto raised his leg and kicked the door in, a miasma of death assaulting his senses almost instantly. But he didn't waver, no, he only grew more determined to bring on justice upon this killer.

Ryu's heterochromatic eyes shifted around slowly, analyzing the area and his surroundings, anything he could use to his advantage in a fight. It looked like this place was a bar. He wasn't entirely sure. But there was a lot of displaced and broken stuff scattered about, most of which he was almost sure was stolen. He stopped in front of the corpse of an old man, and looked to the side to see the corpse of Satella's thief. His eyes narrowed in focus for a moment, before Ryuuto manifested his crimson Sword of Determination in his left hand and immediately blocked an attack from a fairly attractive black-haired woman. He immediately discarded that thought, no _murderer_ was attractive in his eyes. He shifted his sword in a manner that allowed him to knock the woman out of the building with a large _crack_ of magic, as his red eye shone brightly. "Bring it on." He hissed, as blackness crept up his eyes, and Hate leaked onto the floor to mix with the blood of the deceased. It'd take a while, but they'd regenerate and resurrect while he was fighting. Ryu just hoped that those two were smart enough to run away once they were brought back. 'Note to self, make sure to thank and praise Austin daily for his kindness.'

" _ **Awwe, I knew you cared about me kiddo! You're not too bad for an ankle-biter."**_ Austin replied before going silent, most definitely focusing on the job he gave them.

"My, you're an interesting one." A sultry, yet dark voice called out as the woman that tried attacking him rose from the rubble that Ryu knocked her into. Her purple eyes shone with bloodlust, though he had already gotten used to looks like that from his journeys in his old world, sadly. "Tell me, what business do you have here?"

"I've come to take back something that belongs to a… friend." Yeah, that'd work. Friend. Especially considering he'd be more than happy to befriend Satella… though he really doubted that was her name, considering how she sometimes seemed uncomfortable saying it. His assailant frowned.

"Oh. I see. You're with them, then." With those words and an increase of her malicious aura, the woman charged right at him, with Ryuuto manifesting a Shield of Determination to block the initial hit. The purple-eyed killer jumped off the crimson magical projection, giving Ryu a chance to immediately counter, with a slice of red magic arcing through the air and slamming into her. Not letting the woman regain her footing, he continued to slice the air with his sword, slamming her into another building and causing it to collapse in its entirety.

Ryu knew the battle wasn't over though, far from it. The woman's soul was still emitting life energy, and her violent and malicious aura had only grown stronger. He watched passively as the woman stumbled out of the wreckage, slowly healing wounds littering her body. "Alright, I'll admit. That stung a little." She hissed, causing Ryu to only smirk in response.

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 01, Chapter 02 - The Final Candidate From Another World (** _ _**別の世界からの最終候補** _ _**)** _

* * *

The battle continued on for quite a while and was slowly shifting towards Ryu's favor over time, due to his Determination's special ability to continually grow stronger in battle. He had already begun matching Elsa blow-for-blow the moment she attacked him, but now things were getting out of hand, especially with how Ryuuto was pulling out more of his Soul Magic abilities. "What the hell are you?" Elsa hissed as she swiped at Ryu, who jumped on top of a building, raising his hand to the sky and forming a ball of ice and fire before mixing them into what he called Cool Fire. He shot the blue ball of flame at the murderer, knocking her back as Ryu sighed.

"Y'know, if you didn't catch me after a mentally taxing battle against my elder brother; I'd have given you some cocky response or whatever. But honestly…" He stared at Elsa with a dull look in his eyes, as he let a bit more of the **Hate** into his system. "I just want this to end fast." Black energy crackled from his already raised hand, a blackened barrier of **Hate** surrounding him and the houses of the slums. Thankfully, the slum dwellers had retreated into their homes or invited others into their worn and tattered houses the moment the fight broke out. Now he didn't have to worry about civilian casualties. " **Black Lightning**." He brought his crackling fist down, as a massive stormcloud had manifested above them, with a swirling hole like a hurricane right above Elsa. A massive bolt of lightning slammed into the floor with incredible force, sending black energy into the air due to the feedback of Soul Magic and **Hate** reacting to the native Magic of this world. Ryu sighed as the **Hate** barriers faded, surely that'd have caught the attention of basically anyone in a half-mile radius.

Ryu glanced back at where Elsa once stood, smiling as she saw her burnt and bleeding form. He could recognize that she was most definitely going to regenerate though, and he didn't have enough **Perseverance** magic to deal with that annoyance of an ability, sadly. It was at this exact moment he shifted his gaze to the side, glancing at a red-haired young man. He had an interesting choice of apparel, wearing a large white coat, black gloves, and white pants. But what caught Ryu's eye was the highly decorated sword at his side. "Well, then. I didn't expect to stumble upon the infamous Bowel Hunter here." The man then glanced up at Ryu, who immediately jumped down to face the man eye-to-eye. "And you are?"

"The guy who fucked that psychopath as badly as I did right now." He turned to Elsa, who was slowly getting up. "Speaking of which!" He snapped his fingers, as a crimson barrier of Determination magic surrounded the woman. "That'll hold her off for a bit. By your sword and how you carry yourself, I assume you're a knight?"

"Indeed. Current Sword Saint and a Royal Knight of Lugnica, Reinhard van Astrea, at your service." The man bowed respectfully, as Ryuuto did the same instinctively.

"It's an honor to meet you, Sword Saint Reinhard." He then straightened up, smiling as he introduced himself. "My name is Ryutensei, but I prefer to be called Ryu. May I ask why you're here?"

"Miss Emilia requested of me to find you. She was very thorough of her description of your appearance… but if I'm to be entirely honest, I only stumbled upon this part of the slums because of a peculiar event…" It didn't take a genius to know what the blue-eyed Sword Saint was talking about. And since he only knew one person that could have a feminine name like Emilia, he assumed that the name was the real name of the girl who called herself 'Satella'.

"A storm, a lightning bolt, and a black jet of magical energy." Ryu dully said, before sighing. "Well, there went my chance of living a partially normal life. Yes, I was the cause of those events. It all has to do with the magic I inherited from my father's side of the family."

"Interesting." There was a gleam in Reinhard's eyes, one he couldn't quite describe in words. "Tell me, what's your family name?" Immediately, Ryu frowned as he instead chose to walk over to the building where the thief's corpse and the old man's body would be. As he walked over to them and knelt over the body of the old man, scanning it briefly, he noticed Emilia had returned, though Puck wasn't with them.

He walked over to the girl named Felt and sent a pulse of Magic into her body, as he found what he assumed to be the insignia. But he didn't immediately extract it, no. He instead chose to awaken the girl, who immediately jumped up in fright and pulled out a knife. "Who're you?! Where am I?! Are you in league with _her_?!"

"Hey, hey! Calm down, easy kiddo!" Ryu raised his hands in a non-threatening manner. "I just want to talk!" He looked over at Reinhard, who seemingly didn't mind the fact he ignored his question and instead watched the scene from Emilia's side. He motioned to the man to wake up the big old dude, and thankfully, he obliged and went over to do so. Ryu focused back on Felt. "Now, can we talk? You can keep your knife unsheathed if it makes you feel safer."

…

...Something was wrong, Ryu noticed as he interrogated Felt and Old Man Rom. His eyes widened as he turned around once he felt a sharp pang in his chest, one that only happened… _when his shields broke_. The moment he turned around, a knife plunged deep into his chest, where his soul instantly _shattered_.

He failed. _Damn it._

* * *

_**Scanning timeline…** _

…

…

…

_**Status: Host "Ryutensei" = Deceased.** _

_**Warning: Conditions for "Hate's Rampage" Met.** _

_**...Executing Oath "Hate - World End".** _

_**Timeline purged.** _

* * *

As Ryu immediately came to his senses, now alive yet again and standing in the alleyway where he first met Satel- er, Emilia. Should he continue to call her Satella? In the case he met up with her again, sure. But from what he knew about his powers over time and space? There were bound to be changes in this timeline from the original. He looked at his hand, with Ryu's eyes glowing with determination. "Try, try, try again, I suppose."

He didn't notice Austin's bad mood either, not for a few minutes at the very least. After using RESET sparingly and finding a path that felt… different to the rest, he ended up meeting up with Reinhard in said alleyway (who was apparently just passing through), where he and the swordsman became quick friends. "So, you're a swordsman too?" Reinhard asked curiously, as Ryuuto nodded quickly.

"Yep! Been trained to be one since I was four, actually! It was hard work, but it's been more than worth it, considering it kept me alive!" Ryu laughed slightly, quite happy that he didn't have to deal with the weak thieves this time around. Either they didn't exist, didn't come to this specific alley, or now there was a time difference in this timeline. Eh, he didn't care all too much. It was only a second later did he notice a blond blur dash past him. "...You saw that, didn't you, Reinhard."

"I'm afraid I did." The knight stood up straight, as did the holder of Determination. "It seemed to be a little girl running away. Somewhat suspicious, I'd say."

"Hold it!" The voice of Emilia called out, as he turned to face the silver-haired beauty. He kept a smile from creeping up his face before he decided to let his body go on auto-pilot, retreating into his soul to speak with Austin and Ryushi. He needed to take care of the soul magic issue first if he wanted to survive an encounter with Elsa again.

* * *

**_(SOULPLANE)_**

Ryuuto blankly started at the floor as he awoke in the Soul Plane, watching the polychromatic floor shift colors like a kaleidoscope. After some time of watching the mesmerizing pattern, the teen shook his head and walked off to meet up with Austin and Ryushi. The embodiment of Hatred was still in its natural form, a large and slimy black blob of magic. Next to him was Ryushi, who wore a white and red cloak over his form, with his amethyst purple eyes staring at the giant beating red and yellow cartoonish-like heart that was their soul. "So, what's the situation?" Ryu spoke up, getting the attention of Austin and Shi as they turned their gaze over to him. Austin's 'eyes' were blank and white, with the only indication of the fact it could see him being how it sighed.

" _ **Okay, I'll be honest with ya, kid. Your magic reserves are fucked to all hell, aside from your still limitless Determination and your newly restored Justice."**_ Austin said tiredly. " _ **As we said before, everything's been set to the way they were when you first went on your journey back in our homeworld."**_

" **Which means you're going to have to regain your traits and the magic associated with them one at a time. Which is going to take** _ **ages**_ **on the account of Patience.'** Ryushi said, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance. " **And that's without taking the foreign thing that appeared in our soul when we appeared here."**

Ryuuto blinked in confusion but followed Ryushi and Austin when they waved for him to come with them. As he grew closer to his soul, he noticed a faint black miasma around his soul, but it didn't feel like Hate's essence. "What… is that?"

" _ **We have no idea, Shi and I were hoping you'd have some theory as to what it could be,"**_ Austin replied in an equally confused tone of voice, but Ryuuto then shook his head.

"Sorry guys, I'm as lost as you two on this one. Why would I know anything about this when you don't, Aus? _You're_ the 'ancient origin of human negativity', right?" Ryu turned to Austin quizzically as he quoted the being's words directly from his first appearance and fight against them. Austin only laughed nervously, and Ryu had a feeling that if Austin had shoulders, the Being of Hate would have shrugged. "Whatever. We need a strategy to put down Elsa for good. We have the Sword Saint and Emilia with us, so we can use them if we need assistance. Aus, any ideas?"

" _ **Well, since you died, technically my reserves are back at full. And before you say anything, Shi, you of all people should know while I have infinite power; it all relies on my host's willingness to give into my Hate… or if they just die."**_ That caused Shi to promptly shut up as the black and-purple-haired teen was about to speak up. Ryu softly snickered at that, causing Austin to crack a small 'smile' from its oily black substance. " _ **Anyways, if you can get back to that… loot house before the inhabitants get killed by that vampiress, then we won't have to waste so much of my magic and your stamina on reviving them. Add that to your reignited Magic sources and your allies…."**_

" **You play your cards right, and Elsa's dead meat. You can do this, brat!"** With that encouragement, the two pushed Ryu out of the soulscape, but he did see Austin briefly frown before he was sent back to reality.

* * *

The battle against Elsa didn't last long in this timeline. Due to getting there earlier, and having backup in the forms of Emilia, Puck (who disappeared mid-battle because of some… contract thing that he really needed to research), and Reinhard, it was child's play to fight them.

Oh right. Details. Well, Ryuuto found himself playing support for the time being, blocking attacks against Felt and any surprise attacks against him or the others fighting Elsa with his crimson shields. It only took a moment for him to notice how absurdly powerful Reinhard was, even when he stood there, his actual sword unsheathed as he used a sword he picked up from Rom's inventory. Ryuuto glanced back at Felt. "Consider yourself lucky that we decided to follow you. This woman definitely could have killed you and your old man there." He dully said to the blonde, who had no response for him at the moment. Oh well, that was for the better. He didn't want to deal with any sassy replies from a kid he just saved anyways. His eyes shifted to Reinhard, who had the female assassin on the ropes, and then towards Emilia who was healing the injured Rom. It seemed this world's energy source was quite different from Soul Magic, as all the ambient energy in the air was directed towards Emilia and her task of healing Rom using what they called in this world, 'Mana'. "How long will this take?" He asked Emilia, eyes shifting to the side to block a lightning-fast strike from Elsa with a shield.

"Almost done…" She muttered, as the wounds on the man finally closed. "All done! Give Reinhard the all clear!" At that the former Prince of another world nodded, turning to Reinhard.

"Hey, Reinhard! Go for it buddy!" He called out, causing the man to nod as he immediately sent Elsa flying with a sword strike before getting into position. Ryu's eyes narrowed, watching, analyzing the Master Swordsman as he tried to figure out ways to emulate his style into his own. Then he noticed that the sword began to glow with a bright blue-white light that only increased with intensity. Ryu's eyes widened slightly, as an immense pressure enveloped the entire building. Was _this_ the power of Mana-based Magic? How interesting.

"Behold, the Astrea family's sword technique!" Reinhard declared as the man raised the sword in his hands, which only shone brighter and brighter, before bringing the blade down. Ryuuto instantly reacted, summoning a massive wall of **Hate** to block the backlash damage from the blade, but it didn't stop the massive wave of sound and pressure that assaulted their ears, thankfully it didn't cause too much damage to them though. The loothouse, on the other hand? When Ryu put down the barriers, he noticed how the place was essentially pulverized by a single sword strike.

'Okay, considering this was a sword strike that seemed pretty casual and the fact he used some unknown run of the mill sword, without Soul Magic… I think this man could cause non-God me a lot of trouble in a fight.' Ryu thought in awe. And when he considered the fact he was most definitely not going to get to that level of power again, since he wouldn't be facing his brother ever again… yeah, he might have to be careful and make sure that Reinhard didn't end up disliking him or saw him as an enemy. That'd be an annoying encounter. He then smiled at Reinhard. "Well done, buddy! You pulverized her, and I didn't even have to do a thing!"

"Oh please, Ryu. You helped too, with your… strange Magic shielding. I'd say your defensive assistance was just as good as my offense." The red-haired man laughed somewhat humbly before looking at the crumbling sword in his hands and apologizing to it for pushing it too far in battle.

"Whatever you say, Reinhard!" Ryu grinned at the man before turning to Felt. "Oh, by the way, I think you're going to have to return what you stole to the nice lady over there. We did just-"

"Yeah, yeah… saved my life, I know." The young blonde grumbled to herself as she began to search for the Insignia. As this was happening, Ryu lost his smile, replacing it with a frown as something felt wrong again. His instincts kicked in before anyone could do or say anything, turning to see a heavily wounded Elsa rising from the rubble, charging at Emilia to attack. But this time, Ryuuto was _prepared_. He was not having another repeat of the last timeline in any way, shape, or form! He charged right at the woman, grabbing her blade with his bare hand tightly, ignoring the pain and the blood leaking from his hand. He brought back his other hand, yellow and orange sparks of Soul Magic appearing around his clenched fist.

'There is nothing in the world that can put me down.' Ryu thought with a burning passion reigniting within his soul, as a mix of Justice and Bravery magic causing his hand to burn alight with flames. The moment his flame-covered fist collided with Elsa's face, a massive jet of yellow fire essentially burnt her face and knocked her away with 3rd and probably 4th-degree burns scattered across her form, mostly her head and neck though. That'd take her a long time to heal from. The woman writhed in agony, as her body's physiology slowly healed the wounds caused by his " **Retribution** " magic's fire.

"This isn't over!" She hissed in a hoarse tone of voice, glaring at Ryuuto with pure hate in her eyes. His only response was to reignite the fires again, causing her glare to falter, as she then retreated, jumping away to places unknown. He then released his control over the unstable hybrid magic of **Retribution** , staring at his arm that was somewhat burnt too. That was the issue with hybrid magic, it was harder for him to utilize without 'maxing' out the component Traits, for lack of a better term. Emilia rushed over to him and began to fret over his wounds.

"Sir Ryuuto! Are you alright? Your arm is-" Ryu raised a hand to silence Emilia's worries with a calm smile, as he instead walked over to Felt, who was simply staring at him in shock, sitting right next to the old man Rom.

"That insignia, please." He said dully, as the young girl immediately reacted by pulling out the small item and handing it over. Reinhard, however, came over and grabbed the arms of him and Felt instantly. "What the- what are you doing Reinhard!"

"Let go of my arm!" Felt protested as Reinhard stared at them with shock in his eyes.

"This… this is impossible! How is this even happening!" He then grew deadly serious as the grips on their arms increased. "Your names! Now!"

"It's Felt/Ryutensei!" The duo exclaimed at once, wanting the grip to cease, especially Ryuuto; whose's arm was somewhat sore from not only the **Retribution** magic but all the shielding he did today.

"Family name! And just how old are you!" Reinhard insisted, causing Ryu to immediately cave, unlike the last time where he ignored the man. He had pain tolerance, yes, but not in times like these where his arms were really sensitive!

"It really doesn't matter in any country around here, but my full name is Ryutensei James Henderson-Shock! I'm the 16-year-old Prince to the now gone isolated kingdom of Rustcottmo!" Felt, meanwhile, insisted that she didn't have a family name and that she was about 15. Instantly, the man waved a hand over Felt's face, as she fell asleep. Ryu's eyes widened as the man shifted his gaze to him.

"A Prince, hm? It would give you credibility as to why the insignia would react to you, but in our current situation… how peculiar." Reinhard looked over to the confused Emilia. "Miss Emilia, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my promise to you at this time. I'll be taking this girl with me for further questioning."

The girl was somewhat worried. "May I ask why? I mean, if this is about my insignia, then…"

Reinhard hummed as he held the sleeping Felt in his arms. "The theft alone is no small crime, but if I overlook what's unfolding before my eyes, it would be the greatest crime of them all." He looked at Ryu for a moment, as the heterochromatic eyed teen faintly glared at them, trying to soothe his pained and burnt arm. "I'd appreciate it if you taught Ryu here about the Kingdom of Lugnica in-depth. And make sure to take good care of him. If what I just saw was real, then…" He looked up at the moon, as did Emilia and the tired Ryu. "This may be our last chance to gaze calmly at the moon."

* * *

_**A/N: Aight y'all, so while this might end off Chapter 2 and the first Act, I will say Act 2 is coming very soon! From the moment this work has been posted, I have begun the writing process for the next part! See you all later!** _

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 01 and Chapter 02 - The Final Candidate From Another World (** _ _**別の世界からの最終候補** _ _**) - END** _


	3. Trapped in The Fate of Another World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryuuto finds himself wrapped up in more trouble than he first asked for, finding out he was now a King's Candidate for the 42nd Ruler of Lugnica. Greaat.

_A young Ryuuto could be found wandering the outer regions of the Kingdom of Rustcottmo, managing to sneak out of the castle and into the forest where he heard his mother was teaching kids around his age. The young nine-year-old grinned widely before rushing off into said forest, his red and yellow-green eyes shining with enthusiasm. He was about to take a step into the faint green barrier surrounding his mother's Magic School when the floor suddenly disappeared below him and he fell, fell, **fell, fell, fell, fell into the void.**_

* * *

Ryuuto awoke with a start, placing a hand over his chest and taking panicked, deep breaths to calm his racing heart. A mixture of fear and confusion in his eyes, unknowing of what to do in this situation. He never had dreams of that kind before… though it seemed he was back in Rustcottmo in said dream. It took a while for his brain to register the fact he wasn't alone. In fact, there were two maids currently fretting over him and his condition.

"Sir, sir, calm down. You're safe here." One of them said.

"Sir, sir, be at ease. No one can hurt you here." The other one said. At that, Ryu grumbled slightly under his breath.

"Kinda hard for me to believe anything like that anymore since my life has essentially become one massive death flag." He muttered sofly, before glancing up at the two maids again, who seemed to have switched from fretting over his condition to simply watching over him with a wary look in their eyes. Ryu then collapsed back onto the plush bed he was apparently given, staring aimlessly at a highly decorated ceiling before raising his previously burnt right arm; taking note of his current state of dress, as he was now wearing a light-blue sleeping robe. Anyways, his arm seems to have healed overnight, with most of the soreness effectively negated. That was good for him. He then put his arm back down. "Where exactly am I?" He asked the maids, his mind slowly taking in his surroundings and the appearance of the maids, all for future analysis. The whole Elsa situation made him super paranoid.

"You are in the House of Margrave Roswaal L. Mathers. Miss Emilia brought you here." The blue-haired maid to his left answered, before bowing slightly. "I'm Rem." Then she pointed to the pink one to his right. "And that is my sister, Ram."

"It's nice to meet you, Sir." The pink one also bowed slightly, as Ryu immediately waved around his hands in a panic to try and stop what he saw as unnecessary bowing.

"No need to bow to me, I'm just another guy." He tried to get them to stop, which thankfully worked, but only so they could counter his response.

"But you are a guest in House Mathers. It is our duty to show respect to those invited into our house." Rem and Ram said simultaneously, causing Ryu to be both creeped out and fascinated by the current turn of events. He then sighed.

"Fine. I suppose you are just doing your job…" Ryu muttered, before trying to gaze into the maid's souls and being mildly surprised by their Auras. They were much stronger than he anticipated, with him sensing them to be even stronger than he was currently… at least, not without relying on Hate for the 10x power boost. But what actually grabbed his attention was how the pink-haired maid, Ram, had something missing from her Aura. He didn't know what, but it was somewhat concerning. He then shook off the feeling and slowly got up from the bed, as the maids watched him. "What happened to Emilia?"

"Lady Emilia is alright." Was the only response he received, causing him to sigh. Guess that was the best answer he was going to get out of these maids. He placed his hand on his chest yet again, drawing out his soul and staring at it. Everything seemed to be in order. Sure, his soul was definitely not as bright and powerful as it used to be, and there was now a black outline of Austin's power around it, but other than that his soul seemed to be fully healed. It took a few moments to realize the maids by his side were trying to speak to him again.

"Oh, sorry. I got a bit distracted. What did you say?" He laughed nervously, a faint blush of embarrassment going over his cheeks. The pink maid shook her head in what was probably annoyance. Not that he blamed her, he sometimes understood how he could be… frustrating.

"That object in your hand. What exactly is it?" He glanced at his soul and then at the maids, sensing genuine curiosity from them. Ryuuto then chuckled in amusement. This really would be interesting, if something so simple like the summoning of your own soul would surprise and awe the inhabitants of this world.

"It's my soul." At their incredulous expression, he only laughed. "I'm quite serious about that. Where I came from, magic was mostly, if not entirely drawn from the caster's own soul."

"Surely that would bring harm to your lifespan?" Rem asked, causing him to shake his head negative.

"I don't feel like explaining everything at once, but I will say that even if you drain all your Magic from your soul, you'll still be alive. Just much weaker than you should be." That wasn't an exaggeration either. In fact, he was underplaying how critical it was to make sure you didn't lose all your Soul's Magic since that could lead to the loss of the user's trait. And with that, mixing both those situations was actually a death sentence.

"And what exactly were you doing with your soul there, sir?"

"Yes, what was the reason you drew out your soul?"

Wow, okay. This repeating language was going to get old quick. He decided that he should finish this now. "I was just making sure my soul wasn't injured. Say, where's my actual clothes?"

"They were in need of a cleaning. We'll have them returned to you soon, sir." The maids bowed and left for the time being, leaving Ryu to his thoughts.

...What did I get myself wrapped up into this time?

* * *

**RE: DETERMINED**

**Act 2, Chapter 01 - Trapped in The Fate of Another World (別の世界の運命に閉じ込められた)**

* * *

'Hey Austin, Shi? You here?' Ryu checked in, somewhat worried. He needed reassurance that he wasn't alone in this new, strange world.

"Don't worry bro, I'm here." Ryushi's calm voice echoed in his mind, putting Ryuuto at ease.

"Yeah, not like we can really *leave* here anyways, not without your permission." Austin still sounded somewhat tired, which was emphasised when Ryu heard an almost bestial yawn in his head. "Seriously though, what the actual hell did you get yourself into last night? It seemed pretty serious."

'That's what I aim to find out.' The confused other-worlder got up from the bed he was resting on and left the room. He aimlessly wandered around the massive mansion before stumbling upon a door that felt… off. His gaze hardening slightly, he walked over to said door and opened it… to find a massive library?! "Uhhh… uber-big library. Okay then."

"Yes, and like any library, I'd like a little bit of peace and quiet I suppose." A young female voice said, causing him to nearly jump in fright. His head snapped over to look over at a young girl with a lavish-looking, longsleeved red dress and a red cape. But what he also noticed was her hair, which was not only a golden blonde, but several feet long with a drill-like style.

"Uh… Forgive me, I did not know this was your library." Ryu awkwardly said, bowing his head to the girl in apology. Normally he'd be confused about something like this, but he felt something ancient and powerful about this girl. He learned the hard way back home, that he should never judge a book based off its cover. Or in this case, underestimate someone because of their looks.

"Hmph. You have some manners, I suppose." The girl huffed, closing the book in her hand as she stood up from where she sat and walked over to him. "Hold still."

"What do you mea-" Ryu was cut off as she placed her hand on his stomach and he felt something be drained from his soul rapidly. Wait, was she trying to steal his soul magic? If she was, that meant… oh crap-

A massive amount of crimson light shone over the library, blinding both the girl and Ryuuto. He hissed as he rubbed at his eyes. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, BLONDIE?!"

"You should be the one giving Betty answers, I suppose! What did you do to me?!" The blond screeched as she rubbed at her own eyes.

"I DID NOTHING!" Ryuuto immediately retorted as his sight eventually returned. "YOU'RE the one who decided to take my Magic without warning! Trying to drain something _infinite_ is just going to overwhelm you with said infinity!"

"Infinity?! Betty sees you are truly a freak, in fact!" The self-proclaimed Betty glared at him viciously, as Ryuuto returned the favor. "How does one even have 'infinite' Mana?!"

"You decided to drain from my Soul! Unlike your typical Mana, Soul magic is much more plentiful as long as you continue embodying the thing your soul is! You drained my Determination, which is effectively infinite until I lose the will to keep pushing on!" Ryu shot back, before blinking. "Damnit." He facepalmed.

"You just gave away our weakness. Way to go, bud." Austin dully said, unimpressed with his host. Ryuuto promptly told the dark being to shut up, before taking a deep breath to calm down.

"Listen, I think we started off on the wrong foot. Let's retry." He put his hand out, smiling at the drill-haired girl. "Name's Ryu, and I'm a new guest here. Sorry about the whole barging in and giving you magical backlash thing."

Betty stared at the offered hand for a few moments, before hesitantly taking it. "You may call me Betty, I suppose." She muttered, before Ryu's smile widened. This time, he slowly released his magic into her, albeit this time without any trait linked to it. Colorless magic, or Mana, he supposed. Betty's expressions shifted to one of surprise for a brief moment, before the handshake ended. "I see. So you're adept at controlling your 'Soul magic' when you need it, I suppose."

"When you're trained to lead an entire country of civilians and Mages, it's expected," Ryu muttered, before looking around the library whilst Betty went back to sit down on her stepladder. "This is a pretty big library. Do you just… live here?"

"Indeed. I don't leave this library very much, I suppose. Now can you please be quiet? I'd like to be able to read in silence." The girl waved him off as she opened up her book again. "Grab a book or leave. I don't care." Ryu shrugged and boredly walked around the library, eventually drawing out a book about magic and looking over the unintelligible text. Well, this would be annoying. He had free-reign to read these books with Betty's permission, but he was illiterate in this world. Of course. He returned the book to its place before walking over to the door.

"I'm heading out for the time being, Betty! Hopefully, you'll see me tomorrow!" He waved to the girl before leaving. Betty looked up from her book momentarily, her blue eyes staring at the door.

"He really is an interesting one, I suppose." She said to herself, before focusing back on her precious books.

* * *

Ryu had returned to his room when he noticed his clothes were already there, neatly folded on a nearby desk with a note next to it. "Huh. So the maids brought me my actual clothes while I was gone." He hummed before swiftly changing back into his more comfortable, real clothes. Though now that he had lost a lot of his power, that also meant his natural defenses had dropped. Sure, he was able to help in the fight against Elsa, but even still… without the massive boost he gained from being at 100% Determination-levels, he felt vulnerable. 'I should really think about investing in armor or reinforced clothing or something like that.'

"Look, Rem, our guest has finally returned."

"Yes, dear sister, it seems he has returned from his disappearing act." Ryu sighed at that, turning to the pink and blue twins.

"Hello again, Rem. Ram. Did you require something of me?" He asked, as the maids looked at each other for a moment.

"Miss Emilia was looking for you. Our Lord and Master Roswaal has returned. He wishes to meet you." Well that was one way to grab the teen's attention.

* * *

It didn't take long for the twin maids to lead him to the dining room, where Emilia already sat. He glanced to the side and saw his new acquaintance, Betty, also sitting at the dining table. "I thought you didn't leave the Library much, Betty?" He asked the youthful-looking girl, who only hummed in response before speaking up a moment later.

"A great Spirit like me doesn't have to explain myself to a lowly human like you, I suppose," Betty said in her usual haughty tone, causing Ryu to shake his head in a mixture of amusement and exasperation. He could already see what kind of person she was just after being around her for less than an hour.

"Whatever you say, Betty." He chuckled before walking over to Emilia with a smile. "Nice day out, isn't it, Emi?"

"It is, but… why'd you call me 'Emi'?" Emilia blinked, causing Ryu to blankly stare at the half-Elf for a moment.

"It's a nickname. A sort of epithet you give to people or things you're familiar with, usually used as a substitute for their actual name." He explained, causing a spark of recognition to enter the girl's eyes.

"Ohhh! Like how you prefer that we call you Ryu instead of your actual full name?" She questioned, with Ryu nodding in response. He had no idea why someone didn't know what a nickname was, but he was fine with teaching others about them or whatever. It was then that Puck emerged.

"Hiya Ryu! Hope you were able to rest well last night! That arm injury of yours seemed pretty serious! You saved Emilia's life and got her insignia back, so I'm in your debt." The small cat that Ryu found absurdly adorable floated over to the teen and landed in his hands. "If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know!"

Ryu chuckled softly as he petted the small Spirit, just as he liked to do whenever a cute and fluffy creature was in his presence. "I'll make sure to keep that in mind, Puck." Puck then nodded and floated over to Betty, who immediately perked up as she spun away with the Spirit, causing him to chuckle.

"My my, what an ocuuuuurrence!" An overly flamboyant voice called out from behind Ryuuto, giving him mad Mettaton EX vibes. He turned around to see… a clown. He looked over at Emilia to check if she was seeing what he saw, and then looked back at the tall clown.

"What." He blankly said, as his mind crashed from the fact he could actually sense some rather potent magic from this man. Not only that, but this man's soul was Ancient with a capital A! He wore an extravagant purple outfit, with a purple and red cape. He also wore makeup, just like a clown would, with blue hair and heterochromic eyes akin to his own. The man continued as if he didn't hear Ryu.

"It's so raaaare to se you out and about Beatrice, much less diiiiining with us!" The man said. "I am quite thrilled to see you and I do so value a chance for us to spend time together." Betty glared at the man in response.

"Betty was only here to see Pucky, I suppose," She said in a biting tone, before returning to spending time with the cat-like Spirit. Ryu, meanwhile, yeeted himself to Emilia's side.

"Okay, who's the clown?" He asked the half-Elf.

"What clo- ohh, no, he's not a clown, he's-" Emilia was cut off by the clown-like man.

"Now, now, Miss Emilia. I can haaandle introducing myself to our esteemed gueeest." Said the man, as he looked Ryuuto right in the eye. "Greetings, Mister Ryutensei. I am Roswaal L. Mathers, the lord of this manor. I am pleaaaased to make your acquaintance."

"...The lord is a clown. Y'know what? Fine. Sure. Let's roll with that." Austin groaned in an exasperated tone, as Ryu could feel the Hate Origin's pain and emotions. He hated this situation and the absurdity of it all as much as he did. Still he had to show respect to the Lord of this Manor he was in.

"Apologies, Lord Roswaal. I simply did not know it was you." He apologised as he bowed slightly in respect. The taller man simply laughed.

"Ah, no need to bow to me, Mister Ryutensei. You are an important figure to Lugnica now, after all." Ryuuto looked up at the man as he heard that, slowly getting up in confusion.

"I… beg your pardon?" Roswaal only smiled and motioned for Ryu to sit at the dining table as he sat down himself. The Soul of Peace reluctantly obliged, still confused and inwardly wary of the man, especially with how powerful he was. "What do you mean by that, Lord Roswaal?"

"Ahh, before that, let us eaaaat!~" Roswaal motioned to the prepared food in front of them, a charismatic yet still somewhat disturbing smile on his face. Yeah, Ryu was getting major MTT vibes from Roswaal. "We shouldn't discuss on empty stomachs, should we?"

Ryuuto sighed and did so, eating the food in front of him half-heartedly. Its not like it was bad or anything, far from it. Its just he preferred his world's cooking somewhat more, especially with how magic was intertwined with the food there. Eventually, Roswaal broke the silence. "So, Mister Ryutensei, do you know exactly what you've gotten yourself into recently?" Everyone's gazes snapped to the holder of Determination, who sighed as he put down his spoon.

"Somewhat. I do understand that there's some crisis in this country from rumors, but beyond that, nothing." He glanced at his partially-healed arm, where he conjured his flames, and pushed some Hate essence through the insides of it to make sure there was no lasting internal damage. "What exactly have I gotten myself into, Lord Roswaal."

"According to Miss Emilia, you and the Sword Saint saved her life from a deadly assassin~ and retrieved her insignia." At that Ryu nodded. That was what happened. "But that's not what caught my attention. Miss Emilia claimed that her insignia activated when in your hands. I want to test those claims."

"You don't believe her?" Ryu raised a curious eyebrow. Roswaal's facial expression shifted into one Ryuuto was all-too-familiar with: 'humor me'. Ryuuto sighed, looking at Emilia, who in turn pulled out her insignia and put it on the table. Taking a deep breath, Ryu grabbed the insignia, and watched as the ruby-red stone in the middle shone in his hands.

"My my, so it is true!" At Ryuuto's questioning gaze, Roswaal smiled widely. "Well, my dear boy, you must be thinking: 'what could he possibly mean by that?'" ...He never wanted to hear Roswaal call him 'his dear boy' ever again. "It's simple! That is 100%, absolute proof that you are the final candidate to be the 42nd Ruler of Lugnica, running alongside Emilia here!"

Immediately, Ryu groaned and put his head in his hands. "I thought I was done with the royal stuff but noooo I get looped into a royal election. I just have the worst luck." He complained, as Roswaal's smile turned into one of amusement.

"Tell me, Mister Ryutensei. How did you find yourself in Lugnica?" Roswaal asked, as Ryu stopped his complaining momentarily to look at the man.

"...I was in a fight. With my older brother. It was devastating, and shattered the Isolation Barrier around the Lost Isles… while simultaneously destroying them. When I woke up, I was in Lugnica, with only the Gold in my pockets and the clothes on my back to come along with me. And my Soul Magic of course." Roswaal's interest increased dramatically at that.

"Goooold, you say? And what do you mean by 'Soul Magic?~'"

"Yep. Gold. Just a bunch of solid, pure Gold coins. A relic from my home." He drew out the pouch of Gold, with exactly 490 coins inside of it and slid it over to Roswaal. "I have quite a bit in there, so you can take some to see if I could get it exchanged for Lugnican currency if you'd like, and keep some for yourself."

"How generous, but I honestly won't need any money. I will make sure to find out if we can have these exchanged later, though!~" Roswaal took the bag, with Ryu allowing it because he didn't sense any lies from the man on that front. "And, again, what is Soul Magic?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Magic drawn from your Soul. There are 6 common, or 'Main' traits that go with them, with people only being able to use the Magic of that said trait. The six go as follow: Patience, Bravery, Integrity, Perseverance, Kindness, and Justice. They have specific colors to go with them, that are visible on the user's soul. Patience is Cyan. Bravery is Orange. Integrity is Blue. Perseverance is Purple. Kindness is Green. And finally, Justice is Yellow." Ryuuto explained, leaning back in his seat slightly. "There are 'Hybrid' souls in existence, but they're pretty rare. I'd say there'd be less than 4 or 5 at a time per village or community."

"My my, this does sound interesting. How would one access their Soul's inner Magic then, Mister Ryutensei?" Roswaal motioned for Ryu to take the stage, as the teen sighed and got up.

"I need a volunteer for this." He said, as Roswaal then looked at Ram. The pink-haired maid walked forward, stating that she would be acting on Roswaal's behalf. Probably to make sure he wasn't lying or trying to do anything shady. He took a deep breath. "Alright. Stay still, this will be a bit weird."

"Wait, what do you mean by weir-" Ram was cut off by the bright orange light that surfaced on her chest, just above her breasts. It soon manifested into an orange heart, that she caught in her hands. "Is that actually my soul?" The maid asked, staring at the object in her hands. "It looks so… fragile."

"That's because, on the first surfacing, they are. Your Soul Magic will be weak at first, but the more you use it, the stronger both you and your Soul will become. Your soul is Bravery, which means you can conjure up a Spear of Bravery, as well as the Flames of Bravery." Ryu's expression shifted into one deep in thought. "I recently got back my Bravery trait last night, so I could teach you how to use your trait. And teach anyone else about their traits, but it'd be best if I did that when I'm physically able to show you how the Magic works."

"How curioooous! How truly marvelous! So, can anyone use Soul Magic?" At Ryu's nod, Roswaal clapped. "Truly, a gift from lands far off! Mister Ryutensei, I am willing to assist you in the election, as I have a feeling Emilia would love to do the same. But there is a problem…"

"I'm technically a faction of my own. A rival." Ryuuto said knowingly, sitting down as Ram continued to marvel over her soul with her sister. He almost smiled at the sight before looking at Roswaal again. "How about this. I propose an alliance. You give me shelter, and I give you my help in unlocking the Soul Magic of those in Emilia's faction."

Roswaal hummed as he thought it over for a few moments. "That is tempting. May I add something to that? In the case you win the election, you will marry Emilia and make her your Queen."

"...And in the case she wins?" He asked almost hesitantly.

"Well, she wins. That's about it." Roswaal smiled knowingly. Ryuuto was almost going to call him out on the unfairness of that deal, but he then went silent. Technically, he was at a disadvantage on a political standpoint. He already used his Soul Magic card, and its not like he had anything else to pull out of his back pocket. Giving away pieces of Austin's power was beyond dangerous, and he did not feel like revealing his trump card known as Determination just yet. After a while, his eyes glinted with power, as he smirked.

"If I remember correctly Roswaal, the insignia I helped retrieve signifies someone as a candidate for the throne of this Country, right? And I helped not only retrieve it, but saved Miss Emilia's life. Surely I should be repaid in turn for at least one of those things?" At that Roswaal's smile actually grew genuine, as if he expected that. He was waiting for him to say something like that. He wanted this.

"Of course, of course! Possible rival or not, you have helped me a tremendous amount! I will grant you one request, then!" Roswaal allowed, as Ryu grinned.

"I honestly don't care about the throne much. But I do care about Emilia's safety since she's my friend and one of my only allies in this new world. What I want, is to be able to stay by her side, whether she wins or not. I want to be able to protect what little friends I have left." Roswaal, after a few moments, nodded as he stood up. Ryu did so as well, as they met in the middle and shook hands upon these new terms. An alliance was formed.

* * *

Rem didn't know what to think of the new guest in their house. He had a strange fashion sense, and his hair was something new to her, snow-white with a streak of red going through it. But that wasn't what truly caught her attention. It was his powers and the aura around him. At first, she was skeptical of the existence of 'Soul Magic' and thought him to be a spy for another camp. But then Miss Emilia's insignia shone for him, signifying them as a rival to Miss Emilia's candidacy. But then, he revealed his Soul Magic, drawing out a strange orange heart from her sister. This was just all too confusing for her. As she led Ryutensei back to his room, she was able to smell something off about him and his aura. It wasn't a Witch's Miasma, or at least, she didn't smell much of one around him. It was minuscule, barely noticeable, and equal to the amount she expected from someone who had a bad encounter with a Witch Cultist.

No, while it wasn't a Witch's Miasma, there was something very wrong about this Aura. it was simultaneously soothing and maddening. It was as if there was a blanket of comfort surrounded her, yet she couldn't ignore the pitch-black Aura intermingled into his pale-green one. She didn't even notice that she was staring until he asked her if there was something on his face. After reassuring him that nothing was wrong, she opened the door to his room and bowed. "If you ever need something, Mister Ryutensei, just look for me or my sister."

"Please, Rem. Just call me Ryu." The young man smiled at her brightly. "Hey, how about I see what trait you've got? Maybe I can train you?" Rem was extremely hesitant, but eventually, she relented as she was curious as to what trait she had compared to her sister. After a few moments, she put her hand out as Ryu took it in his own. He closed his eyes, as a faint light manifested above Rem's chest just as it did with Ram. This time, it was a green color. When Ryu opened his eyes, they widened for a fraction of a second before he smiled sadly.

"What's wrong? This is… Kindness, right?" Rem asked, wondering why the young Mage had a sad smile on his face.

"Kindness… yes, you'd be right on that. It's kind of a rare trait, though. Not many people devote themselves to being kind after all, especially after they hear of the real world. I… always admired Kindness souls, since they embodied the best of the world, of humanity and all other sentient races." He shook his head. "Anyways. Abilities. Kindness is quite interesting, as they have two support abilities. Shield Creation and Healing. It's kinda obvious. I should be able to help you on the Shield parts, but without my own Kindness' return, I won't be able to give you the full training session on Healing."

"Shields and Healing…? That sounds very similar to Water magic…" Rem muttered, getting the other teen's attention as he began to question her about the specifics of what he called 'Magic from this side of the world'. "If you want someone to teach you the basics, then you could either ask Beatrice, Puck, or Lord Roswaal."

"I thank you for that information, Rem. Good night, and sleep well." The young candidate softly smiled. "Whenever you or your sister would like to begin learning about your traits, just tell me. I'm always happy to spread the teachings of my homeland." And with that the duo separated, leaving Rem with her glowing green heart in her hands.

'Kindness, huh?' She thought to herself, before leaving.

* * *

_**_(DREAM/SOULSCAPE)_** _

* * *

When Ryu awoke again, it was in his soulscape. He turned to see Austin, in a vaguely humanoid form, and Ryushi sitting at a table; seemingly waiting for him. He walked over to them and sat at the table, before looking right at it. "Is… is this mahogany? Damnit, Ryushi, I thought we were done with that obsession!"

 **"It's not an obsession, it's a passion!"** Ryushi retorted, causing Ryuuto to groan. That was one of the things about his other half that annoyed him to no end.

"Austin, ignoring the obsessions of my other half-" Ryu ignored Ryushi's cry of offense, as he stared at the inky black humanoid figure. "What did you call me here for, Aus?"

 _ **"It's quite simple, my friend. We have discovered a power inside of your soul, one that we think you'll find very useful here. Chara's old favorite ability, FILE 0."**_ Austin replied, a smile appearing on his face. Due to being, well, still the embodiment of Hate, the smile was… creepy as all hell, for lack of a better term. But still…

"You two are serious? We have FILE 0 under our control?" At their nods, Ryu leaned back in his seat, looking at the artificial sky of his soulscape. If he had FILE 0, then he could change his stats and abilities at will as long as he visited his soulscape to do so. He focused his gaze to his side before a menu he was all too familiar with popped up in front of him. He upped his offensive and defensive values a bit, as well as spending a bit of his Determination and Austin's Hate to forcefully unlock his Kindness trait for future training with the twin maids before closing the menu down and saving the changes. He looked up to the massive structure that was his soul, which pulsed with magic once, twice, and three times before settling on its calm red and yellow color again. Ryu smirked. He couldn't wait for tomorrow.

* * *

The next day, Ryuuto would be found in an empty clearing near Roswaal's mansion, practicing his Soul Magic. He had already done some training with Bravery and Kindness and was now messing with his natural traits of Determination and Justice. He quickly switched from shooting arrows into the sky with his golden magic-manifested bow, and cutting down said arrows with his crimson sword. He was slowly getting faster and faster at it too, but there was a part of him that thought he wasn't fast enough. Strong enough. While he did have the power of SAVEs, that was entirely dependent on his own Determination. What if something managed to block it off? Or caused him to lose his will? Even being a fraction of a second slower than his opponent could mean the difference between life and death. At that, he grit his teeth and slashed his sword into the air, a massive streak of red magic shooting into the air and destroying his arrow manifestations instantly. It was then he heard excited clapping from behind him and turned to see Emilia with an awed look in her eyes. "That was amazing, Ryu!" She cheered as she got closer, looking at his sword and then at him. "What was that?"

"...My power. The power of the Red Soul, Determination. The strongest trait, technically. It can do a little bit of everything… because it is a little bit of everything." He explained somewhat bashfully, as he let his sword disperse along with the yellow bow on his back. "I didn't want to overshadow anyone, so I kinda kept it a secret. Besides, its not like I could teach anyone about it. I'm the only one with a Red Soul here, even if I only have half." He retreated his Hate essence into his body as he drew out his red and yellow soul, showing it to Emilia. "There were two others in existence, my adoptive sisters. They're dead though… like everyone else."

"Ryu-" Once Emilia tried to speak up, she noticed how Ryu's eyes weren't filled with sadness… but acceptance. He had already accepted the harshness of this truth. He smiled at her.

"Don't feel bad for me. I got used to it. Its not like I can change the past. All I can do, is look forward into the future and keep going. That's what they would have wanted from me." He looked up at the sky, before clenching his fist with a grin. "They'd want me to never give up, and always Stay Determined. And that's exactly what I'll do."

At that Emilia nodded. "Right! I'm sure they're proud of your right now, Ryu." She smiled, before speaking up again. "Oh, right! Rem told me that you were looking for a Magic teacher?" At his nod, she touched the green jewel around her neck. "Alright Puck, wake up." She said, as the cat then materialized before them.

"Good morning Emilia... " The adorable cat Spirit rubbed at his eyes. "What did you need of me?" Emilia giggled at the sight of the slightly drowsy cat, before motioning towards Ryu.

"I think Ryu'd like to cash in his favor. He wants to learn Magic. Simple enough, right?" At that, Puck seemed to have gained a bit of energy.

"You wouldn't be wrong. I could do this in my sleep." Puck turned to Ryu, as he stretched a little. "Good morning, Ryu! How are you?"

"Refreshed and ready to learn, Teacher!" Ryu jokingly saluted as Puck floated over, arms crossed over his fluffy chest.

"Good to hear! Now the first step to learning how to use the Common Magic is to know about their fundamentals, how it works, and how someone is able to use it." Ryu hummed.

"Don't you guys use… mana?" He questioned, as Puck nodded.

"Correct," Puck replied. "You see, unlike a Spirits Arts user like Lia here, who signs contracts with Spirits, a magic-user employs their Gate!"

"And what… exactly is a Gate, Puck?" Ryuuto asked, blinking in confusion.

"It's a pathway in your body where someone can draw in Mana and expel it outward!" Puck explained, curling his tail in a circular shape mid-explanation and inhaling/exhaling through said circle. "Everyone's Gate has a magical attribute of either fire, water, earth, or air! So the first step to teaching you how to use your Mana is to figure out the secret of your attribute!"

"And how will you do that, Teach?" Ryu raised an eyebrow, as Puck flew closer to the teen and placed his tail on his forehead.

"With my tail! Now hold still!" The spirit then began to chant for a few moments, a bright light emitted from his tail before he drew it back, a surprised look in his face. "I've determined your attribute… but…"

"But what?" Ryu grew worried. "Don't tell me my Gate's damaged or something!"

"Oh no, no! Nothing like that! It's just… you have more affinities than I thought!" Puck laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. Ryuuto blinked in response.

"So what? I have two attributes?"

"Try all six." Puck responded in a deadly serious tone. "In addition to the 4 mentioned before, you have Light and Dark magic under your belt. You've got a ridiculously powerful Gate, Ryu." The cat placed a paw under his chin in thought. "Maybe it has to do with your Soul Magic."

"Maybe… hey, what about you teach me based on my strongest affinities to weakest!" Ryu suggested. Puck then nodded.

"Sure. That would mean teaching you Shamak, Jiwald, and Huma in that order! Of course, we'd do it over time, don't want to cause damage to your Gate!" Puck then floated over to sit on his head. "I'll be acting as support since this is your first time using your Gate. Lia, I recommend that you move away so you don't get your clothes messy." Ryu blinked as he saw Emilia move a few meters away. That wasn't very encouraging. But that didn't matter to him! Dark should be just a different version of his old Void Magic, just a dark emptiness that he needed to put his will over!

"Alright Puck! I'm ready!" Ryu said in a determined tone of voice, causing the cat to smile.

"Good to hear you're just as determined as ever, Ryu. Okay, I want you to visualize the flow of mana out of your body, then I want you to expel a part of it out of your Gate, got it?" Ryu nodded once, his eyes gleaming as he prepared to use his first Spell from this new world. He closed his eyes, as he purged his mind of any excess thought. He needed darkness. Pitch black, inky darkness. The vast emptiness of the Void. Then his eyes snapped open, shining a bright purple.

"Shamak!" He called out as he put his hand out. Immediately the effects were visible as a massive jet of inky black darkness shot into the air before dispersing moments later. Puck and Ryu, who were in the center of it, blinked as they were effectively blinded. "...Okay, I think my affinity for Dark is too strong for us right now."

"Yep." Puck agreed, blinking as the cat removed the Spell's effects from both him and Ryu. "Your Gate is still strong though, so we can try again with Jiwald later. But what exactly caused that kind of reaction?" Ryu laughed sheepishly with a shrug, as he had a feeling as to why that was. Considering he was the former vessel of Corruption, the current vessel of Hate/Austin, and a former user of Void Magic… he supposed his Dark affinity was only so strong simply because of the dark connections.

"I guess there's just a lot more Mana in me than I first thought!" At that Puck shook his head in amusement, with Emilia rushing over when the jet of darkness finally dispersed.

"Are you all okay?" She worriedly asked, with the duo responding that they were fine for the most part. But even still… Ryu was worried that his excessive darkness could cause him problems with his magical attacks, at least Mana-wise.

 _'For the time being, I should rely on Soul Magic more than Mana. It seems far less unstable and safer in the long run.'_ He told himself.

* * *

Over the next few days, he alternated from teaching Soul Magic to Rem, Ram, and Emilia (who joined in on the second day) and learning how to use his Gate and Mana from Puck. It was a busy schedule, but he was happy to say that the lessons were paying off, from both sides.

His progress with Jiwald and Huma had gotten to the point he could cast the magic without Puck's assistance, and he even got better with Shamak slightly. Now he wasn't jetting out beacons of blinding darkness into the sky (which Roswaal was concerned about, but he explained it with how he used to use a similar but more costly version of Dark magic), and instead was releasing black energy in an aura-like fashion for a 1m radius around him. Still not what Shamak was supposed to be, but he was getting somewhere.

As for the Soul Magic training, Ram was able to conjure her spear on the second day of training, which she was all too happy to shove into his face. Of course, there were also the flames she had to worry about, but she was confident that she could master her Magic quickly. "You really do embody the more confident aspect of Bravery." He weakly laughed in response to her words, but he found her confidence and haughtiness endearing and sometimes even cute.

"Of course I do, Tryouu." Ah, there was one of her stupid nicknames. He was almost sure she was trying to offend him with how she mispronounced his name and gave him bad nicknames.

When it came to Rem, he had to admit she was a prodigy on her sister's level, if not greater. She was able to conjure shields of Kindness on her first day, and when he tested them out by sending attacks at her, he found that he could barely make a dent. It was only when he started to pull out his Sword of Determination did he finally break through. But even still, Rem didn't seem to be backing down and kept trying. Though he did feel somewhat uncomfortable training her sometimes, as he could sense her distrust with his slowly draining reserves of Integrity. Anyway, when it came to the Healing aspect of Kindness, Rem was great at that too. When he accidentally (read: purposefully) cut his finger in the kitchen one day, she managed to heal the wound with her Kindness magic quite easily. Oh yeah, he was sorta restricting her from using her Mana for healing magic, so she could focus on her Kindness a bit more.

And finally, Emilia. She was a wild card, as she was one of the rare Hybrid souls he told the others about. A mixture of Integrity and Patience. Due to not having access to either of those traits at the moment, he had to be a bit more hands-on when teaching her how those specific Magics were utilized. It took about 3 days, but she managed to get a hold over the Integrity half of her Magic, able to summon up platforms to use for jump boosts as well as summon her own weapon; a blue rapier of Integrity. He was honestly proud of his friends.

And as for the rest? Well, Roswaal still made Ryuuto nervous to be around, Puck was just as adorable as ever, and Beatrice was an interesting one to be around. He visited the drill-haired girl every once in a while, and with how things were going in the mansion, with Ram teaching him how to read and write in exchange for the lessons in Soul Magic, he found he quite enjoyed visiting the Library and reading silently in Betty's presence. And from how she didn't complain or kick him out as he expected, he thought that she might have gotten used to his presence. Still, there was one issue he had noticed. Rem's soul was weakening, and it was concerning him very much.

Ryuuto looked up at Betty, noticing she was still enraptured with her book, and then took the opportunity to bring up his files. Recently he had regained enough Determination to create his own Save Points, and with that, he could load up any specific point in time he wished. A quite potent ability, and much better to deal with than doing a full RESET or literally dying. Keeping his files behind his book he looked at Betty again. "Hey, Bet."

Betty looked down at him from where she sat with mild annoyance in her eyes. "I thought I told you to stop calling me that, I suppose." She said, looking back at her book, which she saw as more important than her guest being annoying.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Is there any kind of Magic that can drain someone's lifeforce? Their Mana?" At that, Betty stopped and looked at him.

"There is. One way is only able to be used by me and Pucky. The other is through Curses. Why do you ask?" It was at that moment Ryu got up in a panic. A curse? He didn't know what kind of curse it was or how curses differed in Lugnica, but he knew back home, curses were a death sentence that needed to be found immediately for any chance of survival. He needed to go back to a different Save, he needed to go back to another point in time. And so, he raised his hand and went back to his first recorded Save File and swiftly pressed **CONTINUE** before Betty could even do or say anything.

* * *

From there, Ryuuto used his Determination and his save points quite a bit, growing closer to his allies and fellow inhabitants of Roswaal Manor, especially Ram and Rem. He needed to make sure neither of them ended up with curses.

Call him a paranoid nut, but he felt like it was them in particular that were most at risk of being cursed. Especially Rem. He even accompanied the girls on trips sometimes, and on one trip to the nearby village where he taught the basics of Soul magic to the youth… he noticed that the puppy that one child was holding was emitting a strange aura around its soul. He didn't think too much of it, but still didn't let Rem or Ram pet the dog. In fact, he took the risk himself, where the dog immediately bit him. Thankfully, at that moment of time, he had retracted Hate's essence from his bloodstream, so his blood was a normal red instead of red with black mixed in. That would have been impossible to explain.

Yet still, the bite hurt quite a bit, which was surprising considering his skin's defenses should have been higher than any puppy's bite. He was suspicious of what was going on but didn't comment on it yet. He didn't have proof of anything weird going on after all. He did some roaming before stumbling upon the door of the hidden Library, where Beatrice sighed from where she sat. "Yes, Ryu? I do you have a good reason to come barging in to my library, I suppose." He waved his hand in front of the girl momentarily, as she stared at it. "Ah. So that's it. You're cursed." She closed her book and stared at him expectantly. "Will you leave me alone if I remove the curse?"

"Yeah, yeah, I will. I'll even teach you about Soul Magic." That seemed to have caught the short blonde's attention, as she got up and glared up at him.

"You better keep that promise, or else." She warned, before raising a glowing hand and placing it on Ryu's chest, a dark mist soon emanating from his hand. "So, there's the Curse. Seems to be caused by a Mabeast." She then reached for his hand and snatched up the black mist, causing it to disperse instantly. "What are you going to do now?"

"Honestly? Kill some real monsters." He said, as he got up and left the room, as Beatrice stared at his retreating form.

"That boy is going to get himself into trouble, I suppose." She said in a dull tone to no one in particular. "I wonder if that dark scent coming off of him can help him in this fight."

Ryuuto, meanwhile, was currently furious. There was some sort of beast that cursed him and cursed Rem back in the timeline before. And it was in the same village as the one where he had taught the civilians and children about the secrets of Soul Magic and his world's tales. He gritted his teeth as a determined look entered his eyes. But then a moment later he stopped as his sensitive ears allowed him to pick up on someone following him. He sighed to see Rem, with a bored look in his eyes. "Hello, Rem. How are you this fine evening?"

"I am fine, Sir Ryu. What are you doing out this late?" The blue-haired maid walked out of the shadows, approaching the former Prince with suspicion in her eyes. "You do realize this is not only suspicious but dangerous for you, right? What if someone tried assassinating you?"

"Eh, I have no worries about assassins. I can handle myself. As to why I'm going out in a time like this, it's recently come to my knowledge that I've been cursed by a Mabeast." Ryu crossed his arms across his chest, his red and yellow-green eyes glowing slightly like a faint firelight. "And if I've been cursed by a bite, then others surely have been as well."

"Cursed by a… bite?" It took a moment before her eyes widened. "The children." She realized as Ryu nodded. "If you are truly telling the truth, let me accompany you."

"I dunno, I mean I did teach you Soul Magic but Kindness is mostly defense and… support…" He stared blankly as Rem manifested a large ball-and-chain flail. "Do you actually know how to use that?" Rem smiled slightly.

"You can see that first-hand later, Sir Ryu. For your sake though, I do hope you aren't lying to me about this." With that, the two rushed off to the village, as Ryu had one goal in mind. Save the children.

* * *

Once they arrived at the village, Ryu noticed how empty it felt, with numerous torches around the village and the villagers themselves walking out and about trying to find something. The kids, obviously. He rushed over to the village chief, who recognized him immediately. "Ryu! You're here, thank the Dragon! The kids have gone missing!"

"Don't worry chief, I'm here to help." He replied to the man before he closed his eyes and pointed his hand into the sky. "Soulsight." He said as a wave of magic washed over the entire domain of Mathers, and Ryu opening his eyes to find the familiar Souls of his part-time students just beyond a nearby fence. "I've found them, let's go!" He rushed off, forcing Rem and the chief to run after him. He hopped the fence and looked at the footprints on the floor, finding traces of Mildo's Integrity magic amongst the prints. Once he heard footsteps behind him, he turned around and looked at Rem and the chief. "Found some clues just beyond here. Their souls left traces of their magic in their footprints." He focused his gaze on the village chief. "Chief, I want you to gather the villagers. I'm going in."

"You can't!" Rem suddenly said as Ryu stopped momentarily. "We'd need to leave a decision like this to Lord Roswaal, and he isn't here right now!" He grit his teeth in response, as that was true. The Lord mysteriously left earlier, saying something about an important meeting. "And dividing our strength like this could be a diversion to leave the mansion vulnerable to attacks. How can-"

"If you don't trust me or don't want to help me, fine!" He snapped, as he turned to Rem with both of his eyes glowing a solid crimson, with his raw Determination overriding all other traits at the moment. "I'll do this myself! I'll save the kids on my own, I'll kill all the Mabeasts on my own! I'm the final candidate for the position of 42nd King of Lugnica, and if I'm ever to feel like I truly deserve a title like that… then I have to do what my parents would do! The greatest Kings and Queens I've ever known!"

"Why is it you're willing to push yourself so far for this village? You've barely known any of the inhabitants here?" Rem questioned, as Ryu looked at his hands, where he summoned his sword and shield. A bit of Hate dripped from the blade of his sword, and the dark essence also appeared in his eyes, but in a barely noticeable amount.

"You're right. I do barely know them. But that gives me more reason to fight for them because I want to get to know them better. And not just that, but those kids… aren't just my students, they're like my family. My little brothers and sisters, with me as the older brother that they annoy." He went silent momentarily, before looking at Rem with a steely look in his eyes. "I promised those kids that I would help them manifest their weapons tomorrow, and I don't break promises. Never."

"...Right. I can see your conviction, Ryu." Rem smiled slightly, before turning to the village chief. "You heard him, go tell the others."

"Right, of course!" The chief ran off, but not before turning to Ryuuto. "Oh, and Ryu? Please, bring them back safely!"

"You have my word, Chief. I'll bring them back safe and sound, even if I lose an arm and a leg doing so." He swore, before rushing off with Rem jumping the fence and following him.

They carefully traversed the woods of the Mabeast Forest, with Ryuuto's grip on his sword tightening over time. He couldn't bear the thought of his students, his little siblings, being hurt by a curse. It was a moment later that Rem spoke up again. "I smell humans… They're very close by." She said as the duo picked up their pace, with Ryu's hate and determination increasing over time and empowering the actual Magic held in his sword, as well as boosting his own physical strength. The duo shared info, with Ryu giving info from his soulsight, and Rem with her enhanced sense of smell. It didn't take long for them to find the still, small forms of Ryu's young protégés. He knelt before them, sensing that the curse hadn't killed them thankfully.

"Maybe I could…" Ryu knelt in front of the children and put his hands out, a green aura surrounding him and the children as he tapped into the Healing aspect of Kindness magic. Rem knelt next to him and helped, causing him to smile. "Thanks, Rem. I'm sure with the two of us working together, we can at least temporarily halt the curse's progress." Plus, Kindness magic healed not only physical harm but spiritual ones, which meant curses like these could be slowed down (if not stopped entirely) by sufficiently strong Kindness mages.

"R...yu…" The teen looked over to Petra, the young girl with a courageous heart and soul. "There's… one… more…" At that, Ryu's eyes softened slightly.

"Save your strength, Petra." He said, placing a hand on her cheek. "Big bro Ryu's got this. Just rest." The girl weakly nodded before closing her eyes to rest, with the only signal of her being alive being her soul's continued beating and faint glowing. Ryuuto then got up, as Rem grabbed his arm.

"Where are you going, Sir Ryu?" She asked, still focused on her task but looking at him from the corner of her eyes. "We can't go running off like this, especially when we don't know how strong the enemy is. I cannot let you, a Royal Candidate, run off into danger with a clear conscience." Ryuuto laughed at that, smiling slightly.

"Your concern is… admirable, but misplaced. I can handle myself, Rem. I'm a survivor, a fighter. A prince, yes. But I was raised to be a warrior first and foremost. I was built for battle… and no animal is going to be the one to best me. I've conquered and pacified the strongest and most vicious Monsters of the Forbidden Mount Ebbot as a young lad." He turned to Rem with a grin. "I'm not going to lose. Besides, I'm sure you can find me after I go. After all, I do have quite the dark aura around me."

"You know?" Rem looked at him in surprise, as Ryu laughed, pulling his arm back.

"Yep, known since I got here. And I've known about the Witch's scent for a little while now too. While I don't exactly know why I have the smell of a Witch on me, I can certainly explain the other dark Aura. I promise on the Dragon." Rem stared at him in response.

"You do know that's the equivalent of making an unbreakable oath, right?" At his nod, she sighed. "Fine. Once the villagers arrive, I'll come for you alright? And when this is all over, I want you to explain everything. Even if you don't know certain things, I want you to give me all your best guesses, got it?"

"Got it. Don't worry, my explanations should satisfy you." He grinned before rushing off, his grin immediately fading as it was replaced by a baleful look. He was going to find these Mabeasts and kill every single one of them until he had not only found a way to break the curse but find the last kid. "Don't worry, I'm coming kid." He said to himself, before rushing off at max speed.

He soon found himself hiding in the foliage, turning off his soulsight as he saw his final student, Meili lying on the grass near a stump. Thankfully he was able to sense she was alive. Though the bad news was, this whole situation screamed trap. Tightening his grip on his sword and bringing up the invisible barrier around his body known as the Armor of the Red. He knelt next to Meili, about to stabilize her soul with his magic before he turned around and stood, pointing his sword at a nearby bush. Instantly, his sword shot off a crimson energy blast right at the bush, cutting up foliage, but also flesh from the wet sound of tearing that he just heard. He shifted into a fighting stance with his eyes focused on his surroundings. "Bring it on!" He called out, Determination filling him to the brim. Immediately, a one-eared demonic looking dog shot towards him, trying to take a bite out of his arm, but his shield and invisible armor effectively negated the damage entirely. He retaliated by slashing at the beast, spilling blood and guts everywhere as he vertically cut it in half. He sensed other beasts nearby, which in turn forced him to draw on more of Austin's power to ensure the board was tilted to his favor.

A group of three demon dogs shot at him, but as he was about to attack, they were eviscerated by a familiar ball-and-chain, which was then brought back to its owner. He turned to see Rem standing there, acting like she didn't just save his life and killed three demon beasts at once. "The villagers have taken the other children to safety." She said as she took a position near him. "I'd recommend that you try to preserve your Soul Magic. Didn't Puck teach you how to use your Gate?'

That reminded him! Extending his hand out, he envisioned the sun, bright and powerful, ejecting one of its solar flares. He opened his eyes, which were now glowing a golden-white in response to him summoning Light magic into his hand. "Jiwald!" He cast, managing to overcharge the spell, but not so much that he lost control. Instead, the blast radius and its power were enhanced, not to mention his Determination enhancing its potential further. It cut a clear path for him to take Meili back to the village, but he didn't know if he could protect himself, Meili, and Rem when his hands were going to be full. Ryuuto then grit his teeth in anger, guess he had to reveal more of his power. He picked up Meili in one hand and dispersed his sword and shield to Rem's shock.

"Ryu, what are you-"

" **Golden Arc: Corrupted Justice.** " He said as a dark gold aura surrounded his free hand, slowly forming an object Rem had never seen before. " **Vengeance: Gun of Reprisal.** " He took aim with the object… before shooting out yellow pellets at unfathomable speeds, cutting into Mabeast after Mabeast. While the beasts were distracted by their wounds, Ryu dispersed his gun and grabbed Rem's hand with his free one. "Aaand now we run!"

It was difficult to simultaneously run away and fight, but it seemed that Rem was able to manage that balancing act along with him, with him slicing up or stealing the souls of any Mabeast that grew too close, and Rem eviscerating Mabeasts on her own end with her flail. It was only then did it happen, with the soil shifting beneath him as he soon recognized something was off. "Landslide!" He called out, turning around and about to use his magic to try and slow down the landslide, but he soon found himself pushed to the side by Rem, who took on the side all on her own. "NO!" He screamed as her body slammed to the floor, limp. He knew she was alive, he could feel her soul still beating. But the thought of his friend being injured to save him… enraged him. But as he was about to stand up and start a Mabeast massacre, his ears were graced with the sound of chains clinking as he looked over to Rem's direction, where the blue-haired girl stood up yet again. Just as he was about to internally commend her for her tenacity, he then noticed there was a sharp change in the nearby Mana capacity. A moment after that, a glowing, pink horn jutted out of her head as her eyes opened to show murderous glee underneath. He stared at her in fear momentarily as he could sense her power nearing his own, and not only that, but it was slowly yet steadily climbing with the Mana she absorbed from the atmosphere.

It was then that Rem began to laugh. Not a cheerful one or anything, no. It was the laughter of someone who was bloodthirsty and insane. Laughter he was all to familiar with due to his adopted family back in his home world. "Hahaha, Mabeast, Mabeast! More dead Mabeasts!" She giggled in glee as she began to swing her weapon around and began to devastate the population of Mabeasts around him. She continued to massacre the creatures, soon walking over to him with a gleeful expression on her bloodstained face. "My my, Ryu, this is so much fun! Why don't you join in! I'm sure there's more than enough Mabeasts to spare!"

"W-what… are you?" He asked warily, as the girl paused before smiling again.

"Ah, right! I forgot to take into account the different countries, different species. You probably never met an Oni before!" Rem calmly said, though her voice was still laced with insanity. "You needn't worry, Sir Ryu. I won't hurt you. Just the beasts. Only the beasts. You're special to the country after all." Ryu stared at Rem briefly before his eyes widened. He stood up and pushed the girl to the side, causing the girl's horn to disappear as quickly as it came as she was forced into a state of surprise. Ryu yet again cut a Mabeast in half, though this time horizontally. He then winced as the dog-like creature's disembodied head was stuck in his arm, and he manually pried the jaws off of him as his vision blurred from using too much Mana in one day. Unlike his Soul, his Gate was inexperienced and new. He forced himself to get up, the wounds of his arm closing up with the black essence of Hate.

"Listen, Rem. I don't care what you are. First and foremost, you are my friend. But still, when you're going to be 'interrogating' me later, I've got some questions of my own for you. Now come on, let's go!" The girl nodded and got up, as they ran, with his time Ryuuto summoning a massive barrier of crimson Determination to hold them off until they got back to Roswaal manor. Once they arrived, Ryu sighed before looking at Rem. "Hey, Rem… I dunno how long I'm going to stay conscious at this point. I used up too much energy today. I'm going to need you to get the kid back to the village. I know I'm asking much of you, especially after the Mabeasts, but-"

"You needn't say anything, Ryu. I'll handle this. You get back to Miss Emilia and Puck, get that arm checked out for the curse. I'll handle the child." She took Meili from his hands, a charming smile on her face. With that, Ryu stumbled into the manor, as Rem frowned. "You rest well, Ryu. I'll handle the rest."

* * *

**RE: DETERMINED**

**Act 2, Chapter 01 - Trapped in The Fate of Another World (別の世界の運命に閉じ込められた) - END**


	4. Fighting For Life in Another World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryuuto finds himself on a quest to kill the Wolgarms surrounding Roswaal Manor, while at the same time trying to find the maid Rem and bring her back home safely, without triggering the Curse inflicted on his Soul. How will this turn out?

_**Okay! Author's first Notes on this story! Why did this chapter take so long? Plot. Lots of plot.** _

_**Anyhoo,** _ _**I was thinking of making a Power System for the reader's sake only. Unlike the ones in other anime and manga, it won't be an in-universe thing, but simply something you can use to measure Ryu up to canon characters. I dunno, I leave that up to you. (Example: Ryuuto with minimal Determination + Hate Essence would be about 12,900; just under Julius Juukulius [13,000]. Reinhard without his Sword is at 50,000 because he's FUCKING Reinhard.)** _

_**So yeah! Up to you guys! And now, let the fanfic commence!** _

* * *

_"Son! Son, wake up!"_

_Ryuuto's eyes fluttered open, gazing up at the worried face of Emily Henderson, his mother, and the High-Queen of Rustcottmo. Her worries faded slightly once she saw he was awake. "Oh, thank the Heavens you're alright! You tripped on a rock and slammed face-first into the barrier!"_

_That explained the pain. Ryuuto rubbed his aching forehead before smiling at his mother. "Hey, mom. Didn't mean to worry you. I just… wanted to watch you teach!"_

_Emily sighed, before smiling back. "Oh, I suppose you deserve a break from your studies. Come on, I'm helping the Integrity children today." She helped him up and led him out of the cottage that she used as a second home-away-from-home. Ryu watched with awe in his eyes as his mother's students performed gravity-defying feats with their Magic. Walking up walls, using magic-platforms as staircases, jumping hundreds of meters into the air… it was all just astonishing. He wished he could do things like that._

_...Maybe he didn't have to just wish. His mother was distracted. He could give it a shot. He carefully raised a foot as he imagined a platform appearing under his feet and using his Soul to try and push that dream into reality. He watched in awe as a faint blue circular platform appeared under his raised foot, and he pushed against it experimentally. He grinned as he kept pushing onwards, climbing up into the air, experiencing the thrill of being high up in the sky before losing focus and falling._

* * *

When Ryuuto woke up, he felt like someone had just split his head open with a blade and stitched it back together haphazardly. Clutching his aching head in one hand, he looked up, his eyes meeting a dull brown wooden ceiling. "Oh. That's new." He muttered before slowly sitting up, wincing at the pain he felt in his arm. His mind instantly went back to the incident in the forest, with the only explanation for the pain in his arm being a broken Curse. His eyes scanned the room, before landing on his half-Elf friend Emilia, who was sleeping soundly on a chair next to the bed he laid on. "...How long was she there?"

It was at that moment that Puck flew out from behind Emilia and over to him, landing on one of his hands. "Yeah… about that… she totally drained all of her resources, right down to her Od to heal you. Your weird black stuff helped with the healing too, but not that much. It seemed sorta sluggish and fatigued." Was that right? He decided to check in on his soul's tenants.

 _'Hate? You okay, Aus?'_ Ryu asked worriedly before he heard a monstrous yet tired roar in the back of his head.

 _ **"I feel like shit if that answers your question,"**_ Austin replied in a tired and sarcastic tone. _**"Now if you don't mind, I need to sleep. I may have infinite energy, but since I'm in YOUR living mortal body, that infinite energy has been inaccessible for me."**_

 _'Sorry Aus. Get your rest. You earned it.'_ He then looked at Puck again. "Alright. What's next, bud?"

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED**_

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_**Act 2, Chapter 02 - Fighting For Life In Another World (別の世界での生活のために戦う)** _

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Ryuuto left the building he was kept in, raising a hand to block the sun from hitting his eyes as he hissed. "Bright day today, eh?" He muttered to himself as he closed the door behind him. He then smiled as he saw Ram, the brutally honest twin of Rem (that he might have accidentally found himself crushing on, he didn't know. Emotions were weird and he was new to love and all that). "Heya Ram!" He greeted with a grin.

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"Ah. Otuuyr. You're awake. Much earlier than I expected, too." The girl hummed, turning her gaze to him. "I suppose that means you can be a diligent one at times."

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"Uh yeah… about that… where's Rem-" The moment he said that he was interrupted by his growling stomach, which was aching for food both for sustenance and to restore his Magic reserves.

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"Hmph, how shameful. You can't even control your own stomach, how will you rule a country at this rate." At that, Ryu groaned inwardly. He didn't ask to be selected for a random country's royal election or whatever! He just wanted to live a normal life! "Eat this." Ryu then found himself with a steamed potato shoved right into his mouth. He gagged briefly from the suddenness of the food's entry into his mouth, and pulled it out, wincing as his mouth was burned slightly from the heat of the potato.

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"What the heck was that for Ram!" Ryu winced as his Magic tried to heal the internal damage in his mouth (even though it barely existed).

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"It was good wasn't it?" Ram continued as if she didn't even hear him. It took all of his mental willpower to not snap at her for that damned adorable smug look on her face.

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"Yeah it was good, but you shouldn't go around shoving food into people's mouths! I could have died!" At that, Ram's smirk only widened.

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"If you can't survive a steamed potato, how will you ever be taken seriously as a ruler?" She replied, causing Ryu's left eye to twitch in mild annoyance.

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"When the hell did you make these anyways?" Ryu grumbled to himself, allowing him to finish the potato he was given. Anything to restore his power a bit more.

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"Ah, these were freshly steamed!" She put on an adorable proud smile that caused Ryuuto to sigh. He hated how he couldn't even get mad at or blame Ram. Fuckin' emotions. He could have gone without dealing with crushes, but _nooooo_ , Ram had to be adorably smug 24/7. She then reached into her basket and handed him another. "Here, have another. I heard how your Magic restores itself best when you've got food in your system." He took the offered potato graciously. "And as for last night… you have my sincerest gratitude. You might be the ultimate dummy, but it was thanks to your efforts that so many villagers were saved."

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"I didn't do that much… Rem was there too…" Ryu humbly tried to knock away any praise, as he felt uncomfortable whenever people praised him.

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"That may be, but it was thanks to you that Rem was allowed to return home safely. Not only that… but when a domain's people suffer a loss, the Lord is held liable." She turned to face the village, as did Ryu. "I hate to think of what would have happened if that pack of Wolgarm had further endangered those children. You made the right call last night, Otuuyr."

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"Wolgarm, huh? So that's what those dog-like Mabeasts are called, huh?" His eyes hardened at the thought of anyone else being endangered by said Beasts.

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"Indeed," Ram replied, before walking off to the village, with Ryu trailing behind her. "But it's alright now. I reconnected the broken barrier, so the villagers are no longer in danger. I kept an eye on it overnight to ensure there were no problems. Now, no Wolgarm should be able to cross over and enter the village. You can relax for now." Taking that as good news, he performed a quick searching pulse using his Magic and checked up on the houses of his young students/friends. Each time he made sure that their souls weren't damaged in any way, as the most important thing to worry about after this crisis was going to be their soul's health.

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He panicked when he saw that the parents of his students began offering him food and whatever they could muster as 'payment', doubly more so due to the praise he received. "Hey, hey! If I'm ever to be some King of this place, I can't just go around taking things you worked hard for!" Ryu repeatedly said to each family before rushing off. After running away from Petra's family, he encountered Beatrice, who had a bored/serious expression on her face. "Oh, hey Bet! I heard you played a large part in helping the kids and me the other day! Thanks for that."

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"Eh, it was no big deal, I suppose." She said, looking up at him. "The only reason Betty helped at all was because Bubby asked, I suppose. Though, I have more important things to discuss with you right now." At that, Ryu's expression hardened.

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* * *

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"So, what's so important you had to drag me far away from the village to talk about anyway?" Ryu asked, leaning against the stone brick wall lining a nearby hill-turned-road.

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"It's the Curse. Bubby and I removed it from your body, but according to what I see… it's somehow found itself stuck to your Soul. The strange Black essence on your Soul seems to be tirelessly trying to fight it off, but I am fairly certain you will die before the day's end from Soul Drain."

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"...Welp, guess I should spend the rest of my life the way I want to and all that jazz," Ryu said in an unimpressed tone.

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"You don't sound nearly as disturbed as I expected you to be, I expected you to at least be a little more disheartened, I suppose." Beatrice seemed a little bit more surprised by his dull tone, causing Ryu to laugh.

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"I don't fear death anymore. I actively embrace it. Life is meaningless without death, an end, something that lets you know to make the best of your time." Ryu looked at his hand, and summoned up his Soul, looking at the foreign darkness that had latched itself onto his Soul. "I always make sure to remember death." That, and at this point, dying a few times barely fazed him. He already died over 600 times back home… and now he wanted to immediately repress that memory again, _nope_. "It's not like I can do anything to stop this, I don't have enough time to teach you or Puck about Soul Magic, and using more Magic to try and hunt down those Beasts to cancel those Curses just puts me at more risk."

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"Hmph. Your realism is both refreshing and depressing to watch. I didn't expect the supposed Soul of Determination to give up so quickly though, especially when there was someone else who tried to fight this outcome off, I suppose." Beatrice replied, causing Ryuuto to immediately stiffen up as he looked at her with a panicked expression.

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"Rem! Bet, tell me, where is Rem?!" He rushed to grab her by her shoulders, as she immediately released herself from his grasp and glared boredly at Ryuuto.

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"If you were in her position, what would you do, I suppose?" Beatrice said before Ryu sensed a presence approach and turned his head to see Ram standing above them on the road.

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"I'm not going to ignore what you just said." The pink-haired… Oni (that's what Ryu heard Rem call herself) maid said as she jumped down to the floor with them, as Ryu sensed her slight panic. "Miss Beatrice, Rem didn't go off on her own, did she?" Beatrice nodded in the affirmative.

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"Okay, but why? Why would Rem go to such dangerous lengths for me?" Ryu asked Beatrice before he heard Ram growl and run off. "Damnit! Ram, wait up!" He reached out his hand and grabbed her arm to try and stop her while grabbing her attention.

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"Let go of me, Tryouu! I'm not calm enough to be kind right now! Let go of me or I'll burn you!" Ram threatened, her eyes beginning to ignite with her **Bravery** Magic. "Release me at once!"

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"I'm not trying to stop you! I just want to help!" At that, Ram finally stopped resisting as she stared at him, her Magic buildup being released.

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"What… did you say, Ryu?" In her shock, she actually used his real nickname. Great, he was getting somewhere with her.

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"I want to help you find and save Rem. She's your little sister, and she's my friend. I'm not going to let anything happen to her while I have the power to do so. I might have to rely on you a little bit though, my Magic is something I need to preserve right now." Ram finally pulled away from his grip before nodding.

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"Fine. As long as you pull your weight without overdoing it, you can come. I can't have one of the Royal Candidates die abruptly in my care after all." Ram replied. At that, Ryu grinned, with his eyes shining brightly.

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"Don't worry about that Ram! I refuse to be a burden!"

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* * *

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Ryu moved along in the forest with Ram, a serious look on his face as he held a new sword in his hand. He was thankful for it too since he needed to be careful with how he used his Magic. Having a physical weapon allowed him to preserve his currently limited amount of Magical Capacity. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a stone and a wrapped up… something that was visibly laced with Kindness Healing magic. He got them from the kids, his students. The sword was a gift from the village chief. "Huh. I really need to thank those guys later. Especially the kids, since I gotta reschedule today's training."

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"You really do care about those children, don't you?" Ram turned her head to look at him, her one visible eye burning with **Bravery** 's orange Magic. "Not only that, but they seem to admire you. Honestly, there must be better role models to look up to. You're terribly average, especially for a King's Candidate."

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Wow, that hurt. Especially coming from Ram. He sighed slightly. "I know your trait being awakened only amplified your brutal honesty, but could you tone it down a little? I kinda need to believe in myself in all if I don't want my Determination to go poof."

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"How disappointing to know that the most powerful Soul Trait is so fragile," Ram replied, in no way lessening her blunt honesty. She then stopped in place after a few minutes, holding out an arm to stop Ryuuto as well. "Otuuyr, I'm going to use my Clairvoyance. Guard us in the meantime, alright?" The teenage King Candidate nodded as he drew his gifted sword, guarding him and Ram as she focused. "Otuuyr, there's something nearby watching us."

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"Where?" Ryu asked, preparing his Gate to attack. Since he didn't want to use his Soul Magic too much, he had to rely on the 'Common Magic'.

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"Up there." As soon as she pointed it out, a Wolgarm jumped out at them, but it was immediately cut down by powerful blades of invisible wind. Ryuuto turned to Ram with a deadpan expression.

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"Why point it out if you won't even let me do the job?" He asked, as Ram instead silently pointed to the hill next to them, with Ryu instantly reacting and bisecting a Wolgarm that tried to attack Ram. They then simultaneously killed the next Wolgarm with a unified blast of **Bravery** fire. "Well, that was something. But that wasn't the real pack. Their souls, while just as vile as the ones that attacked me and Rem, were not the same ones I know from that night."

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"I had a feeling it would be that way. Come on, Otuuyr. We can't waste time." The pink-haired Oni walked off, with Ryu sheathing his new blade and following close behind. They walked in silence for a few moments, before she spoke up again. "I wonder why it is that everyone you come into contact with lose their head when they see you? Is it because you're an idiotic Prince?"

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"No idea what you're talking about, Ram. I'm just being me, nothing too crazy or special." Ryu shrugged off the backhanded insult, he was starting to grow a barrier against some of her more hurtful words due to how often she insulted him. "Even if I wasn't royalty or anything like that, there wouldn't be a difference in who I am."

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"Whatever you say, Otuuyr." Apparently, that was her new favorite nickname for him now. Ok then. He was fine with this. As he watched his surroundings, he yet again noticed Ram's Aura, the mostly-invisible energy field around her that represented her Soul when it was hidden. More specifically, he again noticed how there was something off about it, a missing piece when compared to her sister.

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"Hey… so… weird question, but why is your Soul's magical Aura fragmented?" Ram froze in place at the question. "I-I mean-"

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"No, it's fine. I should have expected a question like that from you," Ram said. "What you're seeing is almost definitely my missing Horn. I'm what you'd call a Hornless Demon. Long ago, after getting into a little trouble, I lost the only one I had. Since then, I've relied on Rem for everything."

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"...Huh. Now I feel like a jerk for asking." Ryuuto muttered to himself, his grip on his sword tightening. He wished he could talk to Austin or Shi about this, but they were busy holding off the Curse in his Soul from getting any worse.

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"It's fine, I've adapted. Since losing my Horn, I gained some things and even saved lives because I lost my Horn. Though…" Ram's lips tightened slightly. "I'm sure Rem doesn't feel the same about that."

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"What do you mean by that, exactly Ram?" Ryu questioned, jumping up the roots of a tree and landing next to the Oni maid.

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"Normally, members of the Oni race have two Horns. But twins like Rem and I only have one each and are despised because of it. We're seen as bad luck and are normally disposed of after birth. Rem and I were allowed to live though." Ram explained as they continued their journey to find Rem. "An Oni's Horns awaken their demonic instincts and allows them to consume mana from their surroundings, significantly heightening their ferocity and combat ability. But if they're reckless, the recoil will leave them worn and battered. I don't want to see Rem like that…"

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"So, you're worried about her because you're her older twin. Makes sense to me." Ryu shrugged, twirling his gifted sword in his hands with practiced expertise. It didn't matter who was stronger between siblings, the older one was almost always going to be protective over the younger one(s).

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"That's right. She is much stronger than I am, but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned for her safety." The duo ran across a stream as Ram said this, using the rocks as platforms. Ram then turned to him, a calm look on her face, but her eyes were filled with worry for her blue-haired younger twin. "No matter what we're told to do, she always does it far better. But in the end, I am still her older sister, and I'm never wavering in that position."

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Ryuuto blinked at the sudden tenacious expression before smiling. "Right. I've got a much better idea of your relationship with your sister now, as well as your personality. Don't worry though, I have one sure-fire way of finding your sister." He smirked at Ram's now confused expression, before his expression tightened, with his eyes hardening. " **FILE 0, set LV to 6. Release more HATE into Soul Aura.** " He commanded his Soul, as a faint black outline of Magic surrounded Ryu for a brief second. Within that brief second, a wave of Hate-based Magic was shot out of his body like an omnidirectional shockwave. Surely this would grab the attention of those beasts…

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"Ryu, what did you do?" Ram panicked slightly as Ryuuto drew his sword, his eyes focused and ready for battle.

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"I told you I had a sure-fire way of finding your sister. Now be on guard alright? Oh, and do try to ignore the evil scent from my Aura." Ryu grinned somewhat nervously, as he didn't actually expect to reveal his Hate so soon. And without Austin to properly moderate it, he was actually taking a risk here, but he didn't need to worry anyone with that little factoid.

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"What does any of this have to do with Rem?" Ram asked as she backed up slightly, now back-to-back with the sword-wielding teen. Ryu thanked HATE's positive emotion dulling effects since he did not need to freak out over a mild crush being so close to him. It also made sense in his mind, they could now cover each other's backs like this.

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"My HATE's aura has a maddening effect on people, more so with mindless or animalistic beings. If this Oni State is what I think it is, then she would not only follow my Aura, but the Mabeasts coming this way too." And exactly as he predicted, dozens upon dozens of Wolgarm had followed them, their red eyes visible in the darkness of the forest. "Right. Like I said before, I'm going to have to rely on you a bit more than I normally would due to my current… condition. Forgive me for this, Ram."

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"You owe me for this, Otuuyr!" Ram exclaimed as she sliced the air with her hand, sending a massive arc of Wind and **Brave Fire** Magic at the Wolgarms.

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* * *

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Ryu groaned as he carried a limp Ram in one arm, his right hand occupying his sword as he ran from a pack of Wolgarm. "Gods damn it, Ram! If you really don't have good Mana reserves, why did you exhaust them? You have effectively infinite Soul Magic, for fuck's sake!"

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"Forgive me, but weren't you the one who asked me to protect you since you had some Soul issues? I just did my best in the heat of the moment." Ram replied, causing Ryu to groan again as he stabbed a Wolgarm in the throat and shoved it into a tree before pulling the bloodsoaked blade out of the beast. He then sheathed his blade and pointed his free hand at the pack of beasts charging at them. He ignited his hand with **Bravery** 's flames before calling upon his highly destructive Gate.

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"Oh fuck this! **Jiwald: Brave Ignition!** " He roared, before a roaring inferno of fire and light cut into the forest, leaving the floor charred and smoking. He panted in exhaustion briefly before running off again with Ram still being carried. He dashed into the forest and hid as the beasts ran off, sighing in relief. "Is there any way we can get you back on your feet?"

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"...No…" Ram replied, looking to the side while saying this. Ryu frowned and glared at her until she sighed. "There is, but I'd rather not do it with you."

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"This is a life-or-death situation, Ram, and I don't want to leave any of us vulnerable." Ryuuto retorted, as Ram eventually caved in due to her knowledge of the Prince being more stubborn than a million mules combined. Ryuuto moved Ram's hair out of the way, noticing a faint scar hiding behind her hair, and touched it before flowing some of his Mana into her. He watched as a white light shone from around them, and he hoped that Ram would get enough Mana from this transfer to get up and running again.

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Ram then got up and pushed him aside. "You've done enough. Now let's go find Rem." She said in the typical annoyed tone of voice she used when talking to him, but she did sound somewhat breathless at the same time. Ryuuto nodded as they snuck out of their hiding place. As they did so, more of the Wolgarms jumped out at them, barking loudly. Ryuuto drew his sword again and slashed in a horizontal straight line, an arc of crimson energy slicing through a dozen or so Wolgarms. To his right, Ram was giving a brutal beatdown to her half of the Wolgarm pack, incinerating them with her soul flames before they could bite her. So far, so good, he supposed. "These monsters are getting too close for comfort," Ram said again, as Ryu's eyes narrowed. That was the problem, he did like getting up close with his enemies, but with the Wolgarms; if they got too close, they could worsen his Curse.

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**"Alright, fine Ryu. I'll take over, my skills are better for long-range anyways."** Ryuuto smirked at the voice of his alter-ego, closing his eyes briefly to switch control over their body to the darker half. His eyes then reopened, now radiating more power. Unlike Ryuuto, Ryushi didn't focus on raw strength, though he did have that in spades. "Good thing I have more magic to use than my other half."

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"What did you say, Otuuyr?" Ram turned around and briefly froze in place as Ryu sheathed his sword, a scarlet red shine surrounding his body before it manifested as a large battle-ax. The Axe of Wrath, the exact opposite trait and weapon to Peace… which didn't have a Weapon assigned to it yet.

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"This'll certainly bring Rem right to us! Hang on!" Ryushi swung his ax once, releasing a shockwave of power that not only eviscerated all the Wolgarms surrounding them all at once but also cracked the floor beneath them, sending them down a jagged slope. "Heh, looks like I made this cliff even bigger than I needed to! Alright, let's switch!" Ryu's eyes flashed again, now settling on their normal lighter red and yellow-green. He turned to Ram, who was freaking out from the fall and extended his hand. A tendril of black Magic, Hate Magic, grabbed Ram as he drew her close.

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"Don't mind this! **Kindness**!" He sent his focus downward, where a dozen faint green platforms appeared beneath them, slowing their fall drastically. Once they landed, with Ryu taking most of the fall damage with ease, Ram pushed him aside again, glaring at him.

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"Stop doing things like that." She hissed, as Ryu rolled his eyes in response.

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"I just saved our lives, Ram. You could at least thank me." He said in a dull tone, before drawing his sword. "And I spent more Soul Magic while doing so. I could have died if something went wrong."

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"That would have been entirely on you, Otuuyr. But… I suppose some thanks are in order." She then nodded. "I suppose you get a free dish of steamed potatoes tomorrow after we find Ram and get back to the mansion." Ryuuto sighed. Better than nothing, he supposed. He then tensed.

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"We've got company!" He said, causing Ram to look to the side, where another pack of Wolgarm had arrived, including the strange puppy Mabeast. He drew his sword yet again, frowning. "I should just keep this thing unsheathed at all times at this point."

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"Probably for the better." Ram agreed before her attention switched to the broken cliffside above them. "From above!" She called out, as Ryu looked up to see a few falling rocks… and a familiar flail, followed by a blue-haired maid landing in front of them. Her face and clothes were stained with blood, and he could smell the aura of death surrounding her. She really had been killing those Mabeasts all this time, huh. He didn't know how to feel about someone going out to kill so many of those things for his sake.

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But he knew better than to call out to her. Not in this state of mind. "We need to stay quiet…" He whispered to Ram. Apparently, even whispering didn't keep them from being detected by Rem, as the girl turned her gaze from the Mabeasts to them. Ryu tightened his grip on his sword as he noticed the vacant, empty gaze of the demonic Rem. She slowly turned to them, almost like a zombie or someone who was possessed and then swung her flail right at them. Ryuuto managed to evade, as did Ram, but he was sufficiently freaked out now. "Okay, without Hate, this is officially above my paygrade!"

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**_"Then fucking use my power, you idiot! Just because we can afford to die, doesn't mean we have to all the time! If you can kill these beasts faster this way, then that's what you SHOULD do!"_** Austin commanded, snapping Ryuuto out of it as his eyes narrowed. He then immediately cut his mental connection to his internal allies, not wanting to hear what they had to say. Call him an idiot, he probably was one, but he wasn't going to use more Hate power than he needed to, especially when that was one of the only things keeping the Curse from eating him away faster.

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For now, Ryuuto kept evading attacks from Rem and the Wolgarm, while also trying to figure out a way to stall for time without tiring himself out in the process. It then came to him, as Rem eventually turned her rampage and wrath towards the Wolgarm horde. If his Hate attracted them because of the enraging and malicious aura, and Rem was currently rampaging because of her Horn's mental effects, then… He jumped back, placing his sword on his back and holding it in place with a bit of colorless Gravity Magic. Of course, in doing so, he made himself a bit heavier and slower as long as he used his Gravity Magic, but that'd be fine. He put his arms out, his eyes glowing brightly as he channeled the power of his Hybrid trait, the power of Peace. " **Peaceful Aura!** " He said as a wave of faint pale-green magic washed over the area, stopping the angry Wolgarm and Rem for a bit. That was his Soul's passive ability, only magnified. One of his trump cards for calming down people and ending fights. "Ram! I've got them slowed down for now! What can we do to get Rem to calm down!"

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"It's her Horn!" Ram replied, bashing a Wolgarm's head in with a flaming **Spear of Bravery** , before slicing through another's. "If you manage to get in one good hit, you can force her Horn to retract! I think! I hope!"

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"Not very encouraging, y'know!" Ryu pulled his sword off his back as he kept up his ability in his free hand, keeping up the field of positive and soothing power. He disabled the Gravity on his sword, and on him, before jumping into the air. He slammed his hilt into Rem's horn as she turned around, effectively knocking her out, and due to his field of power, she didn't fight back. He caught her limp form in his arm, before noticing an injured and whimpering Wolgarm right next to him. It seemed smaller than the rest of the pack, aside from the strange puppy that was acting as the leader.

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**"Ryu… don't you dare think of it…"** Ryushi called out before Ryuuto sheathed his sword and picked up the injured Wolgarm in his other arm. He sensed no malice from it, not anymore at least. He didn't want to question why or how, but he couldn't just leave an injured creature behind when it had no malicious intentions anymore. **"You really do have a bleeding heart. Ugh…"**

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_'Shi, just shut up for once and let me focus!'_ Ryu hissed at his alternate self, running off. "Come on Ram! Let's go!" The pink-haired maid turned to him, briefly confused, before nodding and running alongside him.

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"Why are you carrying one of those unholy beasts?" Ram asked, as Ryu shifted his gaze to her and tried to shrug in response.

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"I feel no malice from its soul anymore," Ryuuto replied. "It's calm, aside from the pain it's going through. We'll need to get it healed soon."

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"If that beast causes us any trouble, you'll be to blame, Otuuyr." Ram threatened, with the white-and-red-haired teen only nodding in response. "Right. Come on, take a right now!" The two dashed to the right, past the forest of broken trees and foliage. They hid, with the pack of Wolgarm dashing right past them, unable to see or smell them. Ryu's gaze then shifted to his right arm, where Rem slowly started to come to.

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"Wh... Where am I?" Rem questioned, as Ryu kneeled down and helped the blue-haired maid sit. He then carefully put down his injured extra, looking over its wounded leg.

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"Currently, we're hiding from a swarm of really angry Wolgarm in a forest." Ryu responded, before focusing on the dog and using Water magic to heal the Wolgarm's leg. "We also managed to save you before you got in over your head. There were simply too many Wolgarm for you to fight, Rem. What were you even thinking?"

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"I needed to make it up to you… and the children." Rem said. "This was all my fault. If I had only focused on the lead Wolgarm, then we could have avoided everything that happened last night. You wouldn't be Cursed, and we could have gotten the children help earlier…"

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"This isn't your fight to finish alone, though." Ryu turned and glared at Rem. "If you died, I would have never forgiven myself. You're my friend, how am I ever going to be able to rest if you decide to rush off on your own! Now what we're going to do, is get you two back home. I don't care if you see this as some way to make amends. Putting my friends in danger is something I do not want to deal with. I don't want to lose anyone else." Ryu's eyes narrowed as he focused back on his task of healing the small Wolgarm. "Never again."

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The Wolgarm slowly got up a second later, staring at Ryu as if judging him before nuzzling his hand once and running off. Ryu smiled faintly, as helping others always made him a little happier. He also let it go since he could feel that it wouldn't go telling the rest of its pack where they were, so it was fine. He then looked at Rem and Ram again, eyes faintly glowing with a tired expression on his face. "Right. You two go run, I'll meet up with you in a minute. I'll slow down and pacify the Wolgarm with another dose of my Magic."

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"You idiot, that could be the final straw that kills you!" Ram retorted, as Ryu got up and smirked.

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"Since when did you care about what I did, Ram?" He then looked out the foliage, as he let his own Hate, not Austin's, flow into him. "Besides, as long as I don't use too much of the power being used to keep my Curse at bay, I'll be fine. Now go!"

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"Ryu…" The teenage Prince turned around, looking at a confused and worried Rem. "Why are you pushing yourself so far for us?" At that, Ryuuto only laughed before smiling at them brightly.

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"Because you guys are all my friends! And I'd hate to lose my friends!" He then waved them off, with Ram holding her sister on her back. "Now go! I'll meet up with you in a bit!"

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"You better keep your promise." Ram frowned before dashing off with her sister. Ryu waved before turning around, his expression darkening as he walked out of hiding.

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"Alright, beasts! Do you want some?! **COME AND GET SOME!** " Ryuuto roared, as he manifested a black and red aura around himself, grabbing the attention of the Wolgarm as they growled and snarled at him. He then grinned and dashed off in the opposite direction from where Rem and Ram ran off to. He then narrowed his eyes as he noticed the nuisance of a pup surrounded by another pack of Wolgarm. "Well hello there, looks like you're ready to die too!" The pup growled in response, its eyes glowing a rage-filled red as a menacing red aura surrounded it, as its body began to morph and enlarge into an absurdly large Wolgarm that roared at him. "Heh, if you really think that'll scare me off, you've got another thing coming!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out the wrapped object, unwrapping it magically and putting it in his mouth. 'A Bocco fruit, huh? Alright then.' He felt all his wounds close up and his stamina restored, He drew his gifted sword and laced it with **Hate** and **Determination** simultaneously, his eyes blacking out with his glowing irises being the only source of actual color. "Alright bastards, here we go! **SHAMAK!** "

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Instantly, a massive beacon of black energy and smoke exploded from his body, only amplified by his own self-supplied **Hate**. He then dashed right at the Leader Wolgarm, stabbing at its neck with his enchanted blade, causing blood to erupt from it, before dashing back, spitting out the Bocco fruit, and summoning up his **Hate** to manifest a weapon. It formed into a scythe, as his eyes narrowed, swiping the blade as it slashed through the other Wolgarm. He shifted his gaze around as more Wolgarm poured out from the forest, snarling at him as they surrounded him and blocked off any escape paths. "Alright, I've got no problems with killing all of you." Ryu grinned maliciously before he sensed a Wolgarm trying to sneak up on him. He turned around, about to slice at it, before noticing the scarred leg and its smaller stature. It nuzzled his hand once he offered it and stood by his side, causing him to grin even wider than before. "Looks like I've snagged myself a pet. Ready bud?" The Wolgarm next to him growled in response, though it was growling at the other Wolgarms instead of him.

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But the moment he was about to start the fight (read: massacre), a familiar flamboyant voice called out from above. " **UL GOA!** " A massive bolt of fire hit the lead Wolgarm, followed by dozens of other firebolts, igniting the forest around them. Ryu summoned a barrier of Hate above him and his new pet, protecting them from the bullet hell of fire, as his expression shifted into one of disappointment.

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"My my, you look so veeeery tired now don't you, Ryuuto.~" Roswaal said as he levitated in front of him. "Once I saw the massive aura of darkness, I knew you had something to do with it. After all, you're the only one I know who can use a simple **Shamak** to summon up pillars of darkness."

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"For once, my absurdly unstable Dark element worked out in my favor. Huh, good to know." He let the dark barrier fade, as he collapsed to a knee, tired. His new pet Wolgarm nuzzled his side worriedly, as he responded to it by stroking its fur. "Thanks for the save, Lord Roswaal. I didn't know how long I could have lasted without causing more damage to my soul."

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"Please, just call me Roswaal. We've grown soooooo much closer now, haven't we?~" Roswaal smiled, before looking at the Wolgarm next to Ryu. "Now what do we have heeeere?"

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"This is my new pet." He said defensively, as he drew the Wolgarm closer to him as it licked his cheek affectionately.

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"And what's her name?" Roswaal raised an eyebrow curiously, as Ryu glanced at the dog-like Mabeast briefly before smiling.

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"Teymin." He replied, as Roswaal then nodded, telling him that Teymin would be his responsibility to care for. "Right, Roswaal. I'll make sure to take care of her."

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"Lord Roswaal!" Ram's voice called out, as Ryu, Roswaal, and the newly dubbed Teymin turned to see Ram carrying Rem with one arm as they stumbled over. The two maids then bowed to Roswaal once they arrived. "I'm certain we've caused a lot of trouble for you. My apologies."

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"Quiiite the contrary," said Roswaal, smiling as he usually did. "Truthfully, you all accomplished fine work in my absence. I'm quite grateful." Roswaal then shifted his gaze to Ryuuto. "And I'll certainly show that gratitude for what you've done for me. You have my word."

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"Ryu!" Rem cried out as Ryu turned around, only to be knocked over and glomped by the blue-haired Oni maid. Ryuuto groaned from the sudden impact and was about to yell at Rem for causing him more pain when he was already injured, but his words died in his throat as he heard Rem's crying. "You're alive! You're still alive! I'm so happy you're safe, Ryu!" Ryuuto softly smiled and moved a hand to stroke Rem's hair to slowly quieten her cries.

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"Sorry I was a bit late with the rendezvous, Rem… I suppose I got a little carried away…" He apologized, but that only caused her cries to resume again. How… peculiar… he felt something radiating from Rem, a familiar feeling that made him comfortable. _'Heh, I'll figure that out… later…'_

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Ryuuto groaned as he came to the next day, his eyes opening to a familiar ceiling. "Hey, are you awake?" A soft voice said from beside him, as he turned his head to his right, eyes landing on Rem.

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"Uh… yeah… I am…" He tried to sit up but noticed there was something different going on. Rem's hand was intertwined with his. "Oh… when did this happen? Did I just grab your hand while sleeping or something?"

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"N-not exactly," Rem replied, looking a little bashful. "It was me, to be honest. I was watching you and you seemed to be in pain while you slept, so I…"

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"You decided to hold my hand… thanks, I suppose. As long as that supposed 'pain' went away, I'll say what you did was for the best." Ryu replied, before noticing Teymin was resting on the floor next to his bed. He really needed to make a dog bed for his new pet… and set up a feeding system, since Wolgarms did feed off magical energy.

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"I don't really know what to do in times like these," Rem admitted. "It's always so confusing and overwhelming, so I did what would have made me the happiest if I were in your place."

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"I'd like to hear the rest of what happened last night. My Curse was obviously removed since I'm still alive, but how did it happen exactly?" Ryu's heterochromatic eyes looked into Rem's blue ones, as he searched for an answer.

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"Lord Roswaal was meticulous and took care of all the Mabeasts in the forest. We were confused as to what your new… pet would do, but we took the chance that it wouldn't feed on you since you seemed to have tamed it in its entirety." Rem replied. "There's now no chance your Curse will ever activate."

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"That's good…" Ryu released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He survived the Curse. Good… He then noticed Rem was bowing her head to him. "What's this about?"

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"I'm so sorry, Ryu."

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"Hey, no need to apologize to me, or bow for that matter! I'm always happy to fight for the people I care about!" Ryu waved his arms about as he freaked out momentarily. He then forced himself to calm down and smiled. "Just smile for me, alright? That'll be enough for me. You don't have to look so calm and collected all the time. I can tell that's not your actual self."

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"I'm aware of my shortcomings," Rem said dejectedly, causing Ryu's mood to dip a little as well. "At the heart of it all, I'm an incompetent and powerless Demon clan dropout. So no matter what I do, I can never match my sister. I'm only her replacement, far inferior to her." She teared up slightly as Ryu watched her with a passive expression on his face. "I don't get it, why was I the only one between us who kept her horn? Why couldn't it be her? Why couldn't Sister be the one who got to keep hers? Why was she born with only one horn? I've caused her nothing but trouble since the day of our birth! It's my fault! Why did we have to come into this world as twins?" She then looked up at him and shook her head. "Ah, I'm sorry! That was strange of me to say!"

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"No… I get the feeling actually." He looked up at the ceiling, as his mind trailed back to much simpler times. "Back home, there was a power passed down my family. Black lightning magic. It always went to the most suitable host, a transferred power. It used to be in my brother's control before I was born. It left him on that day, and went into my possession."

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"What happened to you two? Did he hate you for taking the power?" Rem asked, as he then shook his head with a sad smile.

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"Nope. Far from it. My brother loved me unconditionally, even though I technically stole his power. In fact, he gave me tips on how to use it when I got older. He was the best brother I could ask for." He smiled nostalgically, which caused Rem to grow curious.

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"You… said was. What happened?" The blue-haired Oni maid asked, causing Ryu to simmer down with a sparkle of sadness entering his eyes. Rem grew worried, as she had a feeling she had touched a sensitive topic.

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"A lot of stuff happened. I'd rather not talk about it right now if you don't mind." He then reached over with his free hand and patted his student/friend's head, smiling again. "But still… I've gotta say something about what you think of yourself. It's because of you that I got to save those kids back there. It's because of you that I managed to get back to Roswaal Manor in one piece. I owe you."

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"No, I-"

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"I'm not the type to think about hypotheticals unless I can bring them into existence, Rem." He interrupted her, as Teymin finally awoke and walked over to sit by his side near the bed. "You were the one that helped save the lives of those children back then, and you were the one who drove yourself to the brink of insanity to save me just a while ago."

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"If Sister had her horn still, though, she would have been able to beat all those Wolgarm on her own and saved you much quicker!" Rem shot back, causing Ryuuto to shake his head. "It's true! You wouldn't even have had to get up or raise a finger, it would have been so easy!"

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"That doesn't really matter. Maybe that outcome existed in another timeline, but how am I to ever know about its existence or details eh?" Ryu gently flicked Rem's forehead with a smile. "This is the only timeline that matters right now. The one where _you_ saved me, the one where I have Teymin sitting next to me like the good girl she is-" Teymin barked happily at that. "And the one where I'm sitting right here, having this talk with you right now. Sure, your sister helped, but if I'm being honest; you had a bigger impact than she did. And as for that hypothetical timeline, I really doubt she'd set out to save me like that unless it benefited her in some way or she was told to."

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"I… I told you, I'm only my sister's replacement." Rem said. "Nothing m-"

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"Don't look down on yourself so much. No one else here does. No one here is a replacement for another. You are Rem, a maid of Roswaal Manor, a Kindness Mage-in-Training, and my friend. I couldn't ask for anything else, since this is all I know. All I need." He slowly got up, taking Rem's hand as he led her to the window. "I've seen lots of things in my time, you know. I've encountered fantastical things and fought beings that if I told you about it, you'd laugh at me and say I have an active imagination." He then smiled at Rem, eyes glowing brightly. "And y'know what? I think I will tell you soon if it puts a smile on your face. And I've got a lot of stuff to talk to you about, as well. That's what we promised back in the forest, right? We're going to talk, and talk, and talk until our voices go sore. So look up, alright? We've got a bright future ahead of us, Rem. Let's take it by the hand together."

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Rem stared at his now offered hand, before taking it as a tearful smile came to her face. "Thank you, Ryuuto!"

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"Don't mention it, Rem." He grinned in response, before bringing Rem into a hug. In Ryu's soul, Austin faintly smiled. This was something new. An emotion he was familiar with was now budding in the soul of the young maiden, the opposite of his existence.

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_**'Love, huh? Let's see where this takes him and his 'fate'.'**_ Austin thought to himself amusedly.

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Elsewhere in Roswaal's Manor, the owner of the manor was having a talk with his pink-haired maid. "By the way, Ram, did you happen to find the one who was controlling the Maaaabeasts?" Roswaal questioned.

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"Yes, but the trail has already vanished. One of the children that Otuuyr and Rem brought back from the forest mysteriously disappeared from the village the next day." Rem replied dutifully.

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"Was this connected to the battle for the throne as well, I wonder? The Bowel Hunter, Mabeast Masters, we've certainly gotten involved with some bizarre characters, haven't we?" Roswaal hummed to himself from his chair.

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"No matter how many strange characters you face, you aren't the type of man to lose heart and turn tail, are you?" Ram asked, her pink eyes glowing a faint orange.

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"My my, you've grown quite audacious, haven't you?" Roswaal smiled, before beckoning Ram over. "Come here." The maid listened to his order, walking over to the older man. "Now then, shall we begin? After all, I was unable to attend to you for a whole night."

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"I…" Ram froze, unable to find a way to tell Roswaal that she didn't need a Mana transfusion at the moment because of Ryuuto's assistance. And she doubted that she'd need to for a while according to what Rem said about Soul Magic being able to change into Mana. "Actually, Lord Roswaal… I learned about how to use my Soul to supply myself with Mana…"

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"How veeery interesting… where did you learn this ability?" Roswaal asked, a curious expression on his face as he raised an eyebrow.

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"From… Ryuuto…" She eventually caved in after a few moments of silence, as Roswaal then smiled inwardly, but kept a neutral expression on the outside.

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"I suppose I should thank him for teaching one of my maids how to supply herself with Mana when I'm gone. Speaking of which, Ram…" He looked out at the moon. "I will be busy again for a time. I do hope you can supply yourself with Mana for that time."

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"Of course, Lord Roswaal. I… belong to you." Ram bowed her head to Roswaal, with neither party noticing the black orb with red eyes watching them from the darkness.

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_**(SOULSCAPE)**_

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**"Austin."** Ryushi called out to the embodiment of all Hatred, who looked over at him with a bored expression on his 'face'. "What exactly do you get out of this situation?"

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_**"I don't understand your question, Ryushinigami."** _Austin replied in a professional and dull tone of voice, floating over to the dark half of his host with his 'arms' behind his back. _**"Please elaborate."**_

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**"What do you get out of erasing the timelines with Ryuuto's death? What do you get out of watching these girls in the mansion?"** Ryushi elaborated, as Austin hummed.

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_**"I'll answer your second question. It all has to do with my antithesis. Love."** _

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**"I don't get it."** Ryushi's expression shifted into one of pure confusion. Austin smirked.

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_**"It's quite simple. I'm keeping an eye out for Ryu's soulmates,"**_ Austin said, turning to Ryu's soul, where he waved a hand. With that motion, strings were revealed to be sent out from Ryu's soul, each colored differently. Some even were multicolored. _**"Bonds between souls are quite powerful as you know, and with Ryuuto weakened again, he'll need support to get back up. Both from friends and from anyone his soul is bonded to."**_

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**"That makes sense, I suppose, but why do you destroy those universes?"** For what felt like hours, Ryu's soulscape was deathly silent.

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**_"...Because I was contracted to."_** Austin finally responded.

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"I've noticed something, Ryuuto." Ryu heard from behind him as he continued training with his Sword of Determination in an effort to continue growing stronger. "You're constantly getting hurt…"

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"Eh, it's nothing new, to be honest." Ryu sent a wave of wind from his sword using nothing but his strength.

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"You originally came to this mansion because you were hurt, though. And it's only been 4 days since then, and you've already gotten yourself hurt again!" Emilia said as Ryu continued going through sword stances and strikes.

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"And because I'm apparently a candidate for the throne, don't forget that Emi." He then dispelled his sword with his final strike that emitted a crimson jet of energy into the sky. "That, and I heal absurdly quick. I'm not worried."

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"Ryu, please be a little more serious! You could have gotten killed! What if Roswaal hadn't shown up in time?" Emilia said as Ryu sighed. He knew he could have handled himself using the power of the Soul of **Wrath** if he really needed to, but Emilia didn't know. And she never would, if things went his way.

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"Yeah, yeah… It's just I've had to deal with much worse situations than this in the past, so I've grown… numb to some things. Like the idea of dying. Forgive me, Emi." Emilia then glared at him somewhat cutely, placing her hands on her hips.

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"Remember what I said Ryu? A million sorry's aren't equal to a singular thank you!" Emilia said, causing Ryuuto to laugh out loud and grin, eyes shining brightly.

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"Right. Thank you, Emilia, for healing me back there." At that, Emilia smiled.

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"I should be thanking you too, Ryu. You saved me again." She gave him a thankful expression as she placed a hand over her heart. "I brought you here to this mansion as thanks for rescuing me, and you've repeated that favor again without a second thought. So I want to say thank you!"

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Ryu faintly blushed at the praise, trying to brush it off. "Hey, hey! No need for that, really! To be honest, I just have a hero complex! I didn't do this for any praise or anything, just because it was right."

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"I know that, and it doesn't make me feel any better about you putting yourself in danger. We're friends, right Ryu? I really need to do something to show my gratitude." At that Ryu finally caved in.

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"I see. Well, I would like to get back to the capital again. There's a certain red-haired knight that I need to talk to again… among other things." At that Emilia went silent for a brief second before nodding.

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"I'm not exactly sure when I'll be headed to the capital, but I should be called up there soon with the Royal Selection going on," Emilia said. "And that would naturally include you since you're the anomalous 6th and final candidate for the King's Throne."

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"Well, that's better than nothing." Ryu then looked up at the moon, the light reflecting under his eyes. This was the beginning of something new and exciting, he supposed. He didn't originally plan to get wrapped up in royal stuff again, let alone politics, but he didn't care about that. He had a second chance at life now, and he was going to take it.

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He was going to fight for the lives of his friends, his loved ones, in this new world just as he did back home. And with his Determination, **nothing was going to stop him**.

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_**RE: DETERMINED**_

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_**Act 2, Chapter 02 - Fighting For Life In Another World (別の世界での生活のために戦う) - END** _

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	5. Prelude to Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryu and Emilia arrive at the capital, where he meets a few peculiar characters on his way there, including his other rivals for the Throne.

_Ryu grew confused when he didn’t feel any pain… in fact, it felt like he was still in the air. He slowly opened an eye, since he was wincing in preparation for an impact, and found he was in the air with a blue platform below him, held up by two familiar arms. He looked up to see his mother’s smiling face. “Well, here’s something you don’t see everyday.” The Queen commented, a proud look in her eyes. “Someone using Magic beyond their traits… Son, how would you like it if you came to Magic School?” Emily asked, to Ryu’s awe and excitement._

_From there, it was a long journey for Ryu, learning the other Magic types over the years. It was far from easy, as each tutor drove him to the brink of death and back. It was training straight from hell, but it was working. He took steps up a mountain, trying to use Integrity to defy gravity, but ended up falling into Emily’s arms once he lost focus. The mother-son duo had a good laugh about that specific incident, with the otherworldly Queen always encouraging her son with love and positive reinforcement._

_Two years later, when Ryu was 8-and-a-half-years-old, the Queen took her son out camping by one of the nearby mountains, amusedly watching her son talk about his dreams of being a hero and saving The Lost Isles from the Beast that was constantly threatening them, the Brown Leviathan. As the two then laid down to prepare for sleep, Ryu shifted his gaze from the night sky to look at Emily. “Mom, where did you live before you met dad? You said you came from a different Kingdom, and you were raising me to be *your* heir…”_

_”You want to know, hm?” Emily smiled knowingly, as she turned over to face her son, her pale lavender hair falling behind her. “Well, I came from all the way up there…” She said, pointing up at the night sky, as Ryu frowned._

_”Momma, everyone knows no one lives in space, that’s absurd.” Ryu pouted. “Tell me the truth!”_

_”Oh, but it is the truth. And I can prove it.” The woman sat up, as did Ryu, with Emily pointing her hand at Ryu. He watched confusedly as she put her pinky finger out for him to take. “When you’re older, I’ll take you to Alestia, and we’ll have fun together. It’s a promise.” Ryu eventually hooked his own pinky finger with his mother’s, as the promise was forged, with the boy grinning and crying out of joy._

* * *

The dreams kept coming, and they were starting to confuse Ryu. He awoke from his bed in Roswaal Manor, noticing his cheeks were wet with tears and then shifted his head to look at a worried Rem. He didn’t even question why she was sitting next to his bed as he sat up and wiped away his tears. “...Good morning, Rem.” He eventually greeted, once his face was dried. He put a smile on his face, slowly easing the girl’s worries. “What time is it?”

“Sunrise was a while ago. If I remember correctly, you had a meeting in the village you were to attend, as well as a trip to the capital.” Rem answered dutifully, as the dual-traited Prince got out of bed, looking at the now awake Wolgarm he had tamed and petting her head. Teymin whined in pleasure as Ryu scratched behind her ears.

“Thank you for telling me this, Rem. I’ll get myself ready.” He replied to the maid, causing her to smile and nod as she eventually left the room. Ryu then closed his eyes and focused. _‘Shi? Aus? You two alright?’_

**“I’m alive, if that’s what you mean. And even if that isn’t what you mean, that’s all you’ll be getting.”** Ryushi said in a casual and dull tone, as Austin hummed from within.

**_“Well, since I’m not a living being I can’t say I’m alive. What I can say is that I’m damn proud of ya for whatcha did last night.”_ ** Austin said, causing Ryu to chuckle nervously.

_‘I’m not that great to be praiseworthy, but fine.’_ Ryu eventually changed clothes and then looked at Teymin, who was standing by his side dutifully. “...We’re gonna need to put a leash on you.” He said to the Wolgarm, causing her to whine in sadness momentarily before Ryu continued. “But on the bright side, I’ve figured out a way to feed you indefinitely. Just give me some time. In the meantime, here.” He threw a ball of condensed **Hate** at Teymin, as she opened her maw and snapped it up, with Ryu then forming a leash out of **Hate** essence and putting it on the dog-like Mabeast. “Right, let’s get going.”

* * *

“C’mon Petra! You call those flames? Hotter!” Ryu barked, watching over his student’s progress with soul magic. This was supposed to be their big test, where he was going to see the payoff of their training.

The orange-haired girl narrowed her eyes as she drew her hand back, summoning an orange **Spear of Bravery** . It was a purely magical weapon and could be described as a long, narrow cylindrical shaft that has a bright orange color and glows with a diamond-shaped object at the end of it. The diamond on its end began to ignite with fire as she then thrust it outward, sending searing **Flames of Bravery** into the air, before she waved it around to form a symbol. **火**. The symbol faded after a while, as Petra fell to her knees and breathed heavily, looking up at Ryu.

The dual-traited older man stared down at Petra with a passive look, almost bored, before he smiled and raised a thumb. “Well done, Petra. You pass with flying colors. Power and technique are excellent for your age and limited training. I’m proud of you.” At that, a large smile came to the orange-haired girl’s face. “Right! Everyone line up, I’m going to give you all your prizes!”

Immediately, all the children rushed over with excited expressions, as Ryu then gave each one of his protégés five Gold. They each seemed excited upon receiving the pure gold coins, knowing what they were from Ryu’s stories. “Wow! Money from another land!”

“Pure gold!”

“Used by Monsters!”

Ryu smiled at their excitement, as he turned to the cloaked figure of Emilia. He couldn’t really see her face due to the properties of said cloak, but he was pretty sure she was smiling with that unseen face of hers.

“Ryu, the villagers really seem to like you. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up voting for you in the Royal Selection if they heard about you running.” Emilia commented with a smile as they walked through the forests to return to Roswaal Manor. “Ever since you safely returned the children, they’ve kept on pushing you about debts.”

“It’s something they’ve been trying to do for a while, really.” Ryu chuckled, amused. “Not like they’re wrong about the things they say about me though. I probably would have manually killed every single Wolgarm in that forest five times over if Roswaal didn’t do it for me. But on the bright side, this course of events let me have Teymin.” He reached over to pet the tamed Wolgarm, as Emilia softly giggled.

“I still have no idea how you managed to tame a Wolgarm, but things seem to be working out in your favor, so I can’t argue against your choices. I’m sure you know what you’re doing.” Emilia responded, bringing a smile to Ryu’s face. It was comforting to know that Emilia trusted him. Maybe this situation wouldn’t be too bad, he could build himself a new life in this world.

It was a few moments later, when they arrived at Roswaal Manor, did Ryu notice something off. “Is that a dragon-drawn carriage?” He muttered in interest.

“Welcome home, My Lady.” A white-haired man dressed in a black butler’s outfit greeted Emilia, as Ryu took note of his muscular physique and sagely sky-blue eyes. He could sense not only wisdom inside of him, but a lot of potential. His soul was strong, extremely so, even for his age. The more Ryu observed him, the more he could see this man as someone who could be seen as a wise, old grandfather figure of sorts. “I offer my most humble apologies for parking in front of your mansion.”

* * *

**_RE: DETERMINED_ **

**_Act 3, Chapter 01 - Prelude to Despair (絶望への前奏曲)_ **

* * *

“An emissary from the Capital is visiting us,” Ram further explained upon Ryu and Emilia’s arrival, with the experienced Soul Mage leaning on a staff he made out of **Hate** as he listened. “Lord Roswaal is attending to them now. Please join him, Miss Emilia.”

“An emissary?” Emilia questioned, prompting Ram to further explain the situation.

“I believe it has to do with the Royal Selection,” Ram said, causing Emilia to grow a bit more serious. Ryu blankly watched them for a bit before sighing audibly.

“I already know I ain’t gonna be invited into this meeting, so I ain’t gonna waste anyone’s time,” Ryu said, catching both Ram and Emilia’s attention. “I am a King Candidate, but I’m new to all of this, meaning it's best I don’t embarrass myself in front of an emissary. I’ll continue with my studies in the meantime.”

“You’ve been working hard for the past day, haven’t you?” Emilia smiled at Ryu, causing him to blush slightly from the kind and proud look in her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll turn out to be a great King if you win, Ryu. I can sense it!”

“That means a lot to me, Emi. Thank you, I mean it.” Ryu bowed his head to the half-Elf, overwhelmed by the praise. He wasn’t really that great at receiving it since he didn’t see himself as worthy of praise. Ryu then watched Ram and Emilia walk away, and then shifted his gaze to the outside, where he saw the old man from earlier cleaning the carriage that he was seen with. There was certainly one way to pass the time that came to mind right now...

Ryu then walked over to the man, carrying a tea tray over with him using a Hate Tendril as an extra hand, while keeping his own hands in his jacket pockets. “Hey, aren’t you bored all by your lonesome, sir?” He asked the man, gaining his attention as he stopped his cleaning to turn and look at him.

The man’s attention shifted to the Hate Tendril, an eyebrow raised. “If it’s not too much to ask, what is that behind you?”

“Oh, this?” Ryu pointed at the Hate Tendril, a nonchalant look on his face. “That’s just a tendril of dark magic, nothing too notable.” He shrugged, before offering the man some tea.

The man took a sip, before releasing a small satisfied sigh. “It tastes lovely. Drinking it feels like I’m indulging in a great luxury.” At that, Ryu nervously chuckled, taking a sip of his own tea.

“To be entirely honest with you sir, this is the most expensive tea in the mansion,” Ryu explained, gaining the man’s attention again with a more concerned look on his face. “If Ram found out about this, well I’d definitely be scolded for the rest of the day.”

“I see…” The man’s eyes narrowed slightly, seemingly a little wary and distrustful. “And what are you hoping to gain from this old man using precious bait?”

Ryu sighed, putting his teacup down as he looked up at the man, a serious look on his face. “I just want to ask you a few questions.”

“About the nature of this visit, I presume?” Wilhelm asked, as Ryu shook his head negative to the man’s surprise.

“Nah, I already know enough. Don’t need to go prying for more.” Ryu’s eyes then released a small flash of light. “I’m more curious about you, sir. I have a peculiar ability that lets me see the potential of others, and I can see despite your already formidable strength, you haven’t hit your limit. There’s something missing, and I’d like to get a few answers about your own past so I can get a read on what it is.”

“I see. What a peculiar ability you have.” The man commented, before eventually nodding. “I will give you the answers you seek-”

“I’m back, Old Man Wil!” A feminine voice called out, interrupting the man as he smiled knowingly, as if knowing this would happen.

“Some other time. I know we will reunite shortly.” The man, apparently called Wil, replied as he turned to look at a feminine looking cat-person. Ryu was almost fooled into believing the newcomer was a girl, but a mixture of being experienced with the presence of androgynous people and Soul Magic prevented that from happening. This person was a… catboy, for lack of a better term, even with the feminine clothing he wore. “Sorry to make you wait outside. I bet you were bored, huh.”

“Not at all. In fact, I’ve been passing the time having a small talk with this young man here.” Ryu waved at the feminine catboy with his Hate Tendril, which took the shape of an arm before fading away into his body. The catboy then walked up to him and looked over him, releasing a few ‘meow’s and ‘nya’s as he went, before returning to his original position.

“Ah, nyow I see, of course! Of course! You must be the boy that Lord Roswaal and Miss Emilia mentioned!” The catboy exclaimed, as Ryu dumbly nodded to roll with the current situation, too startled to say anything. “Let’s go, Old Man Wil!” Before entering the carriage, the catboy turned to Ryu with a faint smirk on his face. “See you in the Capital, Mystery Boy.”

* * *

“You told them. You told an emissary from the Capital about me, without even asking me?” Ryu dully asked Emilia, causing her to nervously laugh.

“It’s not like we weren’t going to go to the Capital anyway! And besides, the secret about you being the 6th Candidate was going to come out eventually!” Emilia tried to explain herself, as Ryu sighed tiredly and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“This is fine, I just need to sort things out and speed up my learning.” He could use Hate for that, split off a piece to do the learning for him while he was at the Capital.

“Based on the information before us, if Ryu is to come to the Capital before his studies are officially done, then we should have Ryu take his studies with him to the Capital.” Rem suggested from behind him, causing the Prince to freeze up before grinning and turning to Rem, gently patting her head.

“Good idea Rem, you saved me a lot of time with that suggestion!” And a lot of energy too, since he didn’t want to split a piece of his soul away from him for too long. Rem looked down, somewhat embarrassed by the praise but Ryu could see she was also pleased with herself.

“That certainly is a good idea, and would allow the Royal Selection to start as scheduled instead of requesting it to be postponed for your studies.” Roswaal agreed from the side, briefly souring Ryu’s mood as he remembered how he didn’t really trust the man with the ancient soul too much. “I suggest Rem be the one to assist him in that endeavor.”

“Then it’s settled, there should be no issues, right Ryu?” Emilia asked the white-red haired teen, who only sighed tiredly before nodding. This was fine. He could manage. He was planning to go to the Capital anyway, it was just sooner than expected.

* * *

Elsewhere, in their Dragon-drawn carriage, Wilhelm van Astrea and Felix were returning to the Capital. “I must admit, I was surprised to see you talking with that boy.” Felix began a conversation casually, looking at Wilhelm with his amber eyes through the carriage’s see-through glass. “I always thought you’d rather chop people in half than talk to them.”

Wilhelm smirked slightly at the Knight’s words. “That’s a grave misunderstanding. I merely took a liking to the boy and what I saw in his eyes.”

“Oh?” Felix was vaguely interested, as Wilhelm closed his eyes for a moment before refocusing on the road ahead.

“Those were the eyes... of someone who has faced death many times before… and came out stronger each time. The eyes of a warrior.”

“Nya… I’ll never understand ya, Old Man Wil. Either way, if Wilhelm van Astrea, the Sword Demon is the one to say that… t _hen I’m sure the boy faces quite a bumpy road ahead_.”

* * *

“Hey, uh… Emi, maybe we should stop doing this-”

“No way!” Emilia rebuked his words immediately as she looked at him with her purple-blue eyes. “Not after what happened earlier! We need to ensure you get to the Royal Selection safely, and that means keeping an eye on you since you bring trouble everywhere you go!”

“I can still handle myself though, Emi!” Ryu complained, but to no avail. Emilia wasn’t listening to his pleads.

“Alright you two, could you cut this out?” Ryu shifted his gaze to see Kadomon holding a bag of apples, no wait, _appas_ and outstretching it to him. “You’re going to scare away the customers.”

“After promising to become a regular, this is what I get?” Ryu chuckled, taking the bag with his free hand as Kadomon smirked.

“Hey, that doesn’t mean you’re exempt from the fact that people will be scared off by a bickering couple.” He teased, causing Ryu to faintly blush out of embarrassment. He couldn’t see Emilia’s face due to her cloak, but from how her hand tensed in hers, Ryu was willing to bet that she was just as flustered from the sudden remark.

They eventually left Kadomon’s stand, but Emilia was still adamant about not letting him go. Ryu would have been annoyed by this, but she did have a point. His soul was like a trouble radar. It was only a matter of time until something happened that got him into some crazy scheme. “...What’s next, Emi.” Ryu tiredly asked the silver-haired girl, gaining her attention.

“Well, you said you wanted to talk with Reinhard, right?” At this nod, Emilia continued. “Then we should probably go to the guard’s station in front of the nobleman’s district next.”

Once they arrived at the doors of the nobleman’s district, Ryu heard footsteps approach. Shifting his gaze to the left, he saw a man dressed in the typical uniform and cape of the Lugunican knights, radiating a faint aura of power that Ryu was able to see with his own magic. “Well, if it isn’t Miss Emilia.” The man greeted in a smooth tone, reminding him vaguely of his cousin Marcus Entback. A refined and powerful knight, this man was. And like many people he met in this world, he saw potential in him. “Good to see you again. I hope that you’ve been well since we’ve last met?”

“Yes, everything’s basically the same.” Emilia’s gaze temporarily shifted to look at Ryu as she let go of his hand. She had basically threatened him with her gaze: ‘don’t you dare run off’. “You also seem well, Julius.”

“The mere fact that you remember me is an honor. And I must say, you’ve only grown more beautiful, Miss Emilia.” Julius said as he walked over and took a knee, respectfully kissing Emilia’s hand. Ryu felt something in him stir momentarily at the sight, but shrugged it off quickly. Julius was a knight. Knights were meant to be chivalrous, they did things like this around powerful women of status all the time, he knew that from experience. He instead crossed his arms over his chest silently, deciding not to leave since he didn’t want Emilia to hunt him down.

“You’re very kind. Forgive me for asking so abruptly, but I have business here and I’d like for you to act as my friend’s agent while I’m in the castle.” Emilia requested the knight, who smiled slightly.

“Oh, and would that business have anything to do with this young man here?” Julius looked over at Ryu, before pausing as he smiled wider, walking over with a hand outstretched. “It’s nice to meet you, sir. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”

“Hm? Oh, I go by Ryu.” The dual-traited Prince responded after a moment, shaking Julius’ hand.

“Ryu, is it? Well, I’m honored to meet someone as powerful as you. Reinhard has been telling us about your strange type of Magic, as well as the fact you crippled the Bowel Hunter.” Julius said his tone as respectful as ever. “For someone of your age to be able to do that with a singular attack… you must have been trained by some magnificent people.”

“I… I was.” Ryu’s expression softened as a smile tugged at his lips, slowly easing up as a side-effect of the knight’s charismatic aura. “I’m honored to know that Reinhard has been telling people of my achievements, but really it's nothing that noteworthy…”

“Humble, are you?” Julius hummed, a calm smile adorning his face. “Well, allow me to show you to the conference mirrors.”

“Actually, I’d appreciate it if you stayed here Ryu. Knowing your luck, you might somehow break half of the mirrors.” Emilia both asked him and teased him, causing Ryu to pout slightly.

“My luck isn’t that bad… but fine. I’ll find something else to do.” Ryu sat down on a chair he formed out of **Hate** essence as Julius and Emilia left. He pulled an appa out of his bag and began munching on the healthy treat, even though he wasn’t hungry or injured. The fruit was broken down into excess Soul Magic and then turned into Mana for his Gate so his soul didn’t overload itself. He then shifted his gaze to the side, where he saw the figure of a blonde woman with a black and red dress walking into a shady alleyway… or more specifically, the shady alleyway where he met the mugger teens in his first runs. “Mmmm I am going to get scolded by Emi for this… but I am bored as fuck.” Ryu shrugged as he pulled the magic that made the chair he sat on back into him, walking over to the alleyway as he looked around.

* * *

“You little-”

“Don’t screw around with us!”

“You wouldn’t want us to mess up that pretty little face of yours!”

Priscilla Barielle, Matriarch of House Barielle and a candidate for the title of 42nd King of Lugunica, was currently being mugged by some punks… and said punks were completely out of their league. Ryu watched from above, using **Hate** to merge into the shadows as his eyes narrowed, a singular knife hovering over his hand. How did he know so much about this young woman? Simple, he read about her in his studies, and she was apparently going to be one of his rivals for the Throne.

“Don’t much such a racket, you commoners,” Priscilla said, opening her fan as she scoffed, covering her face with it. “Fools with no character at all pick fights for no reason.”

“Why I oughtta-” The tall burly dude was stopped in his tracks as Ryu threw a knife right at his feet, causing him to jump up in fear and the others to look up at his now revealed position on one of the nearby rooftops.

“Now now, that’s no way to treat a lady,” Ryu said in a teasing tone, a smirk on his face. The thugs, remembering who this was, grew scared as he summoned more knives and jumped down. “Oh, you remember me. So you should know what I’ll do to you if you don’t skedaddle.” Ryu said in a harsh tone, the whites of his eyes inverting to a midnight black as he glared at the thugs. The Thug Trio then rushed off, tripping up on each other as Ryu sighed and dispelled his weapons and the **Hate** buildup.

“Now who might you be?” Priscilla shifted her crimson-eyed gaze to Ryu, as he looked at her and shrugged.

“Just a guy with too much power on his hands who got bored and saw this as something more interesting than sitting down and waiting for my friend to come back.” Ryu responded, returning his hands to his pockets. “I get bored easily, actually. And you’re Priscilla Barielle, a candidate for the throne. Didn’t expect to meet someone like you here.”

“Oh? If you know who I am, then why don’t you begin groveling at my feet, hm?” Priscilla smiled, as if amused by a joke only she got. “This world was made to benefit me, and you might as well start worshipping your future ruler.”

“Hm, nah. I think I’ll pass you up on that.” Ryu casually said, smirking in response to her words. “It really wouldn’t look good on me to start grovelling to people when my parents raised me to do otherwise. Besides, the Selection hasn’t been determined yet.” That was one of the Shock family mottos: ‘Never throw away your pride’.

“You’ll see how wrong you are soon enough.” Priscilla closed her fan, as Ryu heard some approaching footsteps.

“There you are, Ryu!” Emilia’s voice called out as she walked into the alleyway… with a strange man who wore a helmet. “You said you wouldn’t run off!”

“Oh, sorry about that, Emi. I got bored quickly. You know me.” Ryu chuckled, as Emilia sighed tiredly in response to his nonchalant words and attitude. “By the way, who’s this guy?”

“What am I going to do with you?” She muttered to herself, before answering Ryu’s question. “This man right here was willing to help me look for you.”

“I was personally trying to find a lost child.” The man in the helmet spoke, causing Ryu to raise an eyebrow slightly. That was some strange wording.

“My my, how attentive of you to wait where you knew where I would be. I commend you for your dedication, Al.” Priscilla said to the tall man, as Ryu then noticed Emilia was hiding behind him.

“Well, we found who we were all looking for! Let’s get going!” Just as Ryu was about to lead Emilia away from the alleyway, Priscilla spoke up.

“Just a moment.” The woman begun as Ryu shifted his gaze to the side. “Would you mind telling me what’s in that bag of yours?” Ryu blinked in confusion as he looked at the bag of fruit in his arms.

“These are appas. You aren’t telling me you don’t know what an appa is, are you Miss Barielle?” Ryu asked in a confused and incredulous tone of voice. Priscilla scoffed.

“Please, don’t make me laugh. Everyone knows appas have white flesh.” The woman countered as Ryu sighed, grabbing an appa and throwing it at Priscilla, who caught it with ease.

“I don’t know what to tell ya. Appas have red skin and white flesh. You’ve probably only seen peeled appas in your case.” Priscilla looked up at Ryu, an unreadable expression on her face. “Now, don’t go running off and freaking out Mr Knight-in-A-Helmet here, alright Miss? We don’t want to test the limits of your luck, now do we?” Ryu smirked slightly as he looked at the helmet-wearing knight, nodding towards him as the man did likewise.

* * *

It was nearly sunset as Ryu and Emilia left that part of town. “Ryu, that girl from before…” Emilia began, catching the teen’s attention. “I was wondering when and how you met her…”

“Oh, her? I met her completely on accident. I saw a woman entering an alleyway and I since I got bored, I followed to find some thugs trying to threaten her.” Ryu replied, holding the appas in his left arm as Emilia had returned to holding his hand. “Though I have a feeling you won’t be leaving me unattended to after this incident.”

“You’ve got that right!” Emilia said in an accusatory tone of voice, a disappointed look in her eyes. “You said you’d stay right there and you left when it suited you. From now on, while we’re in the Capital, either me or Rem will have to keep an eye on you.”

“So I’m basically on house arrest.” Ryu sighed at her nod of confirmation. Oh well, he hoped this was worth it. Maybe he could use **Hate** to make a duplicate of himself in the future so he could do his own thing without worrying about the house arrest thing.

When they reached the apartment they were to be staying at, Ryu sighed and took a seat in one of the nearby chairs, a bored look on his face. “So, tomorrow’s the big day, huh? Where you and Roswaal reveal me to be the anomalous 6th?” He asked Emilia, who nodded.

“That’s right. According to a new Prophecy, there are two outcomes that were available to us. Either there would be 5 Candidates who could become the Dragon Priestess and make a covenant with the Dragon… or the new outcome etched into the Dragon Stone, 6 Candidates, which one of whom would lead Lugunica to a new age of prosperity and strength.” Emilia explained, as Ryu sighed. This was truly annoying, he was *used* to the Prince and rulership kind of stuff since he was raised to be that back home, but he had no idea what the current situation of the world was outside of Lugunica. That’s why he was studying, so if he did end up winning somehow, he would be prepared to lead this country. “The Council currently acting as the temporary leaders of Lugunica wants to bring that second outcome to light, which means they were desperately looking for their 5th and 6th Royal Candidates.”

“But you said-”

“I know what you’re about to say, Ryu, and its best that we leave that for the Council to explain tomorrow. Just study and get some rest, tomorrow is the big day.” Emilia replied to him, as Ryuuto eventually nodded. This was convoluted as all hell in his mind, but he could handle this.

* * *

_Years later, Ryu was a 12-year-old Prince, jumping about the Kingdom of Rustcottmo as he messed around with his Integrity magic. He jumped onto another platform, smiling down at the kingdom below him, before he noticed a horse and cart. His brother and parents were standing next to it, waving at him. He smiled and jumped down, landing on the floor and looking his mother in the eye. “Ryu… tell me, when’s your birthday?”_

_Ryu rolled his eyes at that, an amused look on his face. “Mother, you should know your own son’s birthday.” Ryu quipped, as Emily smiled softly._

_”Humor me.” She said in a soft tone, as Ryu sighed._

_”Two weeks.” Ryu replied, as the High Queen hummed and nodded._

_”Right, well… looks like we’ll be going on a new trip in two weeks. Get ready.” She put her pinky finger out, as Ryu confusedly stared at it before a wide grin appeared on his face, cheering loudly, only to shut up as Blaze casually slapped the back of his head with a heat-magic enhanced palm. “Remember to keep up your studies and don’t bother your Aunt Rin!” Emily called out as the cart rolled away._

* * *

When Ryu woke up, he recognized that these dreams were too… frequent, too vivid to just be fabrications of his mind. All these things were too specific, too familiar to just be dreams. They were memories. Ryu walked over to the window, as he looked out to see the sun had rose a few hours ago. “...Damn, I’ll be late at this point!”

“Miss Emilia and Lord Roswaal wanted to ensure you had enough rest for today.” Rem said from behind him, as he turned to the blue Oni maid and sighed. “We could get there in time if we rent a dragon carriage…”

“Nah, Rem, it’ll be fine. I’ve got this all covered.” Ryu chuckled, as he gently patted the girl’s head, causing her to blush. “Awe, you’re adorable when you’re flustered.” He commented, causing her blush to deepen further. He then went for the door.

“Ryu, if you don’t mind me asking, how will you reach the castle without a dragon carriage?” Rem asked, as he paused and turned to her with a smile.

“Trust me, I’ve got my own ways.” He said, touching the door and then disappearing in a flash of blue light. He reappeared outside of the apartment and walked off, putting his faith in fate for the first time in a long time. He eventually raised a Hate Tendril from his back into the sky, waiting for something to happen… and his luck panned out on the good end for once, as an elaborately decorated red, gold, and black carriage drawn by a red and black dragon stopped in front of him. “Wow, that actually worked.”

**_“Holy shit, maybe you’re not as unlucky as we first thought!”_ **

**“This is the most strange thing I’ve ever seen. Fate actually helped. She actually helped** **_you_ ** **for once.”**

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he accepted the ride that was offered, shocked to see Priscilla and Al again. “You sure are lucky bro, be grateful for this coincidence. We just happened to be on our way to the castle too.” Al said, as Ryu looked over his way.

“That so? I’m assuming it’s for today’s Royal Selection, then.” He replied, as Priscilla laughed slightly.

“Of course, today there’s only one reason to head to the castle. To witness the beginning of the process.” The haughty and prideful blonde said, as she leaned back into her plush and soft seat in an elegant manner. She then opened her eyes, looking straight at Ryu as if she was staring right through him. “There have been rumors that both the 5th Candidate… and the fabled, mysterious 6th Candidate have been found… and I have a feeling bringing you along with me to the castle will make things interesting in that dull room.”

Hm… he had a feeling he was going to get tired of her attitude, it was different from Ram’s where hers was endearing. Priscilla’s, however, was just pride for the sake of pride. She was arrogant, but then again she was someone selected to be a ruler by a magical touchstone, there were bound to be people who acted like this amongst the Candidates.

* * *

Ryu strolled into the insides of the castle alongside Al and Priscilla, watching as the people stared his way. He had used some of Hate’s power to change his clothing magically so he fit the idea of a Prince, or at least his idea of what one was like. He wore a black dress suit along with a purple cape, with the insignia of the Delta Rune on said cape in white. He had changed up his hair a bit too, smoothing out whatever stray hairs were in his spiky locks. He could hear the people around him muttering and whispering among themselves, with his sharp ears able to pick up on some of the sound.

_“Who’s that, he looks important.”_

_“What’s that insignia on his back?”_

_“Is he with Lady Barielle?”_

_“I doubt it, he’s got some sort of important aura around him.”_

And the rumors and ideas were already being thrown around. _Fantastic_. Emilia turned around to notice him and smiled in relief. “Ryu, you made it!” She exclaimed, causing furthermore rumors to be spread amongst the people around them.

_“She seems to know him.”_

_“Who is this guy, really? Strolling in with Lady Barielle and being someone_ **_she_ ** _knows?”_

Ryu sighed and waved at Emilia tiredly. “Heya, Emi. Sorry for taking so long. Then again, you were the one who let me sleep in...”

Roswaal then walked over to him with a smile that unnerved Ryu. “It’s good to see you’re awake and well, Ryu~” The man said, extending the ending of his name as he typically extended his vowels. “Why don’t you stand with the Knights until I call for you, hm?” The man winked at him, as Ryu then sighed and did so, following Al.

“Attention! The council of wise men will now enter!” The head of the Royal Guard, Marcos, declared as said wise men entered and took their seats, with Ryu standing in the line of knights… and noticing a familiar head of red hair.

“So, you decided to come here after all. I’m relieved to know that you’re alive and well, Ryu.” Reinhard van Astrea said as he shifted his gaze to look at him, causing Ryu to smile at the powerful knight. If there was someone in this world he admired and trusted, it was Reinhard. He could sense this man’s pure intentions, he just wanted to do good and be a hero. It was a reminder of someone from his old world too. His adopted ‘cousin’ figure and trainer, Undyne. “When I heard through the grapevine that Miss Emilia was coming here, I had a feeling you’d be close behind.”

“Reinhard. It’s good to see you, I’ve actually been looking for you.” Ryu greeted his old friend, as Ryu was then interrupted by the catboy that came with Wil to the mansion a while earlier.

“Oh, how’s it goin’?” The brown haired feminine boy asked, his hands held up in a manner reminiscent to paws.

“So, you’re here too.” Ryu smiled, as Reinhard hummed.

“I take it you know him, Ryu?” The red-haired Knight asked, as Ryuuto nodded.

“Sorta. I met him at Roswaal Manor, when he and another man he called Wil were visiting.” He responded to the knight, as the catboy blinked.

“You’re not surprised I’m actually a boy, nya?” He asked, tilting his head to the side as Ryu shook his head negative.

“I’ve got my own ways to determine people’s birth sex. Judging by your clothing though, I’d say you’re a Knight.”

“He is indeed, and a powerful one by the name of Felix Argyle.” Reinhard confirmed his analysis, as Felix chuckled softly.

“You’re really a peculiar one, aren’tcha, Mister Ryu?” Felix commented, as he then waved and took his own place in line. Ryu laughed under his breath.

“Huh, I keep meeting Knights that I’ve met before. What next, Julius sneaks up on me?” Ryu joked, before he felt a presence behind him and looked to see the purple-haired Knight he was speaking of smiling behind him.

“Mister Ryu, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Julius greeted him respectfully as he typically did, with Ryu doing likewise.

“Same with you, Sir Julius. I hope you’ve been well.” Ryu said in a respectful tone, causing Reinhard to smile as he saw his two friends getting along. Julius replied that he was doing well, before taking his place in the line of Knights as well.

“Now if I may be so forward, I, Marcos, leader of the Imperial Knights… will act as director for all of today’s proceedings.” Marcos began, as everyone went silent. “It all happened about half a year ago, when members of the royal family, starting with the King, went into hiding one-by-one, causing-”

“Listen, I get you want to talk things up and put up a good show here.” The light purple-haired girl among the 4 Candidates in the front of the wisemen interrupted Marcos, as Ryu looked over to look at his supposed rivals. “But I’m kinda busy, y’know. You might not have heard it but we have a saying back in Kararagi: ‘Time is money’.”

She was starting to remind Ryu of the businessmen back in his world, especially the bigshot men who had control over all the important stuff. Monopolies. If he remembered right, she was Anastasia Hoshin. Head of the Hoshin Trade Company. “I couldn’t agree more.” A woman with long, dark green hair and amber eyes spoke up. Crusch Karsten. Matriarch of House Karsten, another powerful rival who was well-liked by the people.

“Miss Crusch, should the head of the Karsten family say such a thing?” Marcos asked, as Crusch looked up at the man.

“I acknowledge that its important to observe formalities, but its also a fact that our time is rather limited. So it would be wise to inform us of why we are here.” Crusch said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Naturally, however, I do have a general idea.”

“Am I to understand that you already know the purpose of this meeting then?” The apparent Head of the Wisemen’s Council asked her, a sagely look in his eyes.

“Yes, I do Lord Miklotov.” Crusch’s confidence was admirable. Did she know about the fact the final Candidates were found? “For a drinking party.” Well, that dashed Ryu’s original thoughts. She was clueless. “One day soon, we’ll face each other as rivals. But by sharing drinks and conversing at the same table, we’ll be able to learn more about one another.”

“No ma’am,” Miklotov said, shaking his head negative. “That is not correct.”

“Felix, this is not what you told me earlier!” Crusch turned to the catboy, as the Knight turned to look at his Lady.

“That’s not true. All I said is that ‘maybe it’d be a drinking party’. I never said I never knew it for a fact or anything.” Felix said from behind him, as Crusch turned back to the Wisemen.

“I see. Then I jumped to conclusions. Forgive me, please allow me to retract everything that I just said.” Crusch said to the council, as Anastasia then budged in.

“Now just a second! Even if she backs down, my opinion on this isn’t gonna change. There’s no need to explain the Royal Selection process now, we already know how it works. Am I right?” Anastasia looked at her fellow Candidates for confirmation.

“Well, even so, I think we should hear them-”

  
“Sorry, but I don’t remember asking for any of your opinion on any of this business,” Anastasia said to Emilia in a rude tone, causing Ryu’s eyes to flare up with magic momentarily in anger. How dare she be rude to _his_ friend, he had half-a-mind to-

**_“Calm down, Ryu. Getting angry isn’t going to help anyone.”_ ** Austin’s voice echoed in the Prince’s mind, calming him down slowly. Austin was right. If the **Hate Origin** of all beings could stay calm for the past few weeks in _his_ body, then he could stay calm for a little while longer himself. Then, Al raised his hand.

“Hey! I don’t know about any of this Royal Selection stuff! I’d kinda like to hear the rest!” The helmet-wearing Knight said, as Miklotov looked at Priscilla with a raised eyebrow.

“Excuse me, but I was informed that this young man is your Knight, Miss Priscilla. Haven’t you explained the selection to him?” The old man asked, as Priscilla continued to be Priscilla and waved it off.

“Whether I have or not holds no merit. You men will still ramble on about it, won’t you?” Priscilla then shifted her gaze to the Royal Knight’s Captain. “Please continue, Marcos.”

“As you wish.” Marcos nodded as he then continued. “There’s a specific reason we have gathered you who are qualified to become the Dragon’s Priestess. Two new Prophecies have been engraved in the Dragon Stone. This new insight says: ‘From the 5 capable of becoming the Nation’s new leader, chose one to become the Dragon’s Priestess and have them enter a covenant with the Dragon’. But that was the old Prophecy. As of one month ago, a new Prophecy has appeared that changed the way we have viewed the selection. It goes as such. ‘From the lands of a realm locked from our own, shall appear the 6th and final Candidate, and from there the 6 Candidates will either lead the Nation to prosperity and strength… or destruction and ruin.’ The Council has decided to wait and see if this Prophecy is even possible, and recently Lord Roswaal J. Mathers and Royal Knight Reinhard van Astrea have claimed to have found the final Candidates. Both of you please, come forward.”

Both the Margrave and the Knight did so immediately, bowing before the council. Reinhard was the first to go. “Honored Members of the Council of Wisemen,” Reinhard began. “Imperial Knight, Reinhard van Astrea, would like to announce the completion of my mission. The Fifth Contender, mentioned in the prophecy, has been located.” From behind them, Ryu could hear the large doors open up as Felt came walking through, wearing a frilly yellow dress and accompanied by two young servants. “The one I myself revere as Queen. Her name… is Miss Felt!”

“And aaaas for me…. I have found the anomalous 6th Candidate that was thought to simply be a rumor.” Roswaal began, though he started to lose his over-flamboyant voice and attitude and slowly shifted into a more serious persona. “He is already among us, and I believe if he does win the election, things will turn out well. He is already an experienced Prince, who was trained to lead 3 different kingdoms in his childhood. Please, my friend… come on up.”

Ryu eventually took this as the moment to walk out of line, as Roswaal’s smile widened. “I present to you, the anomalous 6th and final Candidate for the throne!” All the attention in the room shifted to him, as Ryu looked up at the council with his eyes glowing brightly with power. “A powerful mage and a Prince of 2 kingdoms now destroyed! I present to thee, Prince Ryutensei J. Henderson-Shock!”

  
  


“A male… how certainly unorthodox. The New Prophecy didn’t mention gender restrictions, and the restriction of it being a Priest _ess_ has been removed indeed, but I would have never expected the 6th Candidate to be a male.” Miklotov said, as he looked at Roswaal and Reinhard. “And what is the proof for their candidacy?”

“I hope this suffices.” Roswaal said, as he gave Ryu an Dragon Touchstone, which began to shine brightly in his palm. Felt was given one likewise, as she then looked at Ryu while holding the glowing object.

“Hey, I know you! You’re the one that burned that assassin’s face to a crisp!” Felt grinned, before punching Ryu’s back causing him to wince slightly. “How’s your arm, it seemed pretty damn injured last time I checked!”

“It’s healed up nicely, thanks for the concern Felt.” Ryu laughed softly, before refocusing on the problem ahead of them. “So, does this prove it to you, sir?”

“Indeed. There is no way to make an illegitimate Dragon Stone, and it is never wrong…” Miklotov said, nodding. “Sir Ryu, I first must say that I am sorry for the fact your former home was destroyed. But I would like to know how this discovery was found.”

“I can answer that for both of them.” Reinhard said, as he knelt and placed his Dragon Sword next to him. “About a month ago, I met both Sir Ryu and Miss Felt in an alleyway near the Merchant’s District. I was just passing through, and I met Ryu there first, becoming quick friends with him.” The Knight smiled at him, and Ryu returned the favor. “It was then where I met originally met Felt, as she had run through the alleyway. We later found ourselves in a fight with Elsa the Bowel Hunter after tracking down Miss Felt, where Ryu was able to quickly overwhelm the assassin. As for Miss Felt, after the attack in the slums, I took her in as the Dragon Stone reacted to her and Sir Ryu… though Miss Emilia was willing to take him in, so I left him in her care.”

“Are you saying that he’s the one who burned the Bowel Hunter’s face?” At Miklotov’s question, Ryu raised a hand and summoned the yellow-colored flames of **Retribution**. “I see, and without the usage of any incantations. Truly, this young man is an expert at the usage of Magic. But is that his only qualification?”

Reinhard was about to speak, but Ryu raised his hand to the sky and channeled his **Hate** magic into the air, forming a misty black ‘screen’. “I will tell you my tale, and what I think is the reason the Dragon’s Touchstone chose me. This is a tale of two races who ruled over the Lost Isles, and how I interfered with fate to save an entire race from despair. This is my…” Ryu looked up at the people, as he snapped his fingers, turning ‘on’ the screen as it began to project his memories. “ **_Undertale_ ** _._ ”

* * *

**_RE: DETERMINED_ **

**_Act 3, Chapter 01 - Prelude to Despair (絶望への前奏曲) - END_ **

* * *

**_Yes, that’s a cliffhanger._ **

**_No, I won’t apologize._ **

**_This is the turning point where the Law of Re Zero begins to surface. There is always suffering._ **

**_Ryu is not exempt._ **


	6. Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryu shows people parts of his past. He shows and gets a little more than he expected... and subsequently loses everything.

**_Okay! More Author’s Notes! This is just more of a warning or something, really. Not like anything bad or triggering is going to happen (I think). I’m just here to say that this chapter is technically two chapters merged together as one. Think of it as a Parts 1 & 2 situation. The first half of this chapter will be about Ryu’s life before he got Isekai’d. The second half will be about the TRUTH about Ryu’s life before he got Isekai’d, and the consequences of what comes with the truth. Spoiler alert, Ryu’s going to be spiritually broken by the end of this._ **

* * *

“My journey started a year or so ago when I was 14 years old.” Ryu began, as the smoke-like screen of  **Hate** began to project his memories. “My father had died of a mysterious illness, and my brother had mysteriously disappeared. I was alone, and since I was too young to take the throne, as well as my Aunt and cousin being on a mission they couldn’t leave… I was left in the hands of the advisors and councilmen of my kingdom.”

_ A scared, young Ryu looked up at the councilmen before him, who all had large grins on their faces. He then turned around and fled, not wanting to be around these greedy businessmen any longer. _

“Being all alone in the world, I didn’t see a point in living. So, I did the first thing that came to mind. I had to cross the Forbidden Gap and go to the forbidden mountain of death. Mount Ebott.”

_ The young Ryu defiantly looked down the hole of the Cursed Mountain, his clothing partially wet and dirty due to the waters he had to cross to get here. He was hungry, dirty, and his mouth was dry from a lack of hydration. He felt like death… and that’s what he was looking for here. _

“I was hoping to die. Be reunited with my family. Down in this Mountain, lived a race of beings called Monsters by humanity. Every human that had fallen down into the mountain had never returned, and because of that, years prior; my father had split the land the Mountain was on from the rest of the Lost Isles.”

_ A vision of a tall man with messy black hair and bright green eyes appeared, as he stood on the highest point of his castle and raised his hand, forming a thunderstorm above the entirety of the Lost Isles. Lightning then struck his hand, as the King of the Lost Isles, Shinra Shock; threw the lightning at the Land of Ebott and split it from the rest of the landmass. Whatever the lightning bolt hit, was disintegrated instantaneously, leaving nothing unscathed. _

“So, I jumped. But what I didn’t expect, was for Fate to step in and tamper with my plans. I lived through the initial fall… and eventually met my first ally on my journey, someone who gave me a goal to strive for.”

_ “This isn’t supposed to happen... Hey, you alright? Come on, get up!” _

“Her name… was Frisk.”

* * *

**_RE: DETERMINED_ **

**_Act 3, Chapter 02 - Loss (損失)_ **

* * *

“So… you’re telling me that if I help you out, we can save all of Monsterkind.” Ryu incredulously asked the girl before him, who nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah! I’ve done it before-” Ryu was about to speak up, but a quick glare from the girl with the eternally shut-eyes stopped him from saying anything. “But the thing is, I was never satisfied. There were people still hurt down here, people who deserved better. I’m hoping that you can help me save them!” Frisk replied, her legs dangling from her bedside. Ryu sighed from the carpeted floor he was lying on, before nodding.

“I’d say you’re completely and utterly insane, but whatever. I’ve got better things to do than worry about the ramifications of what you’re saying.” He looked at Frisk, who was looking at him as if waiting for him to say something. “...How do I help?” He asked, as the younger girl then grew visibly excited by his approval.

Their first obstacle was the kind motherly Toriel, who refused to let them leave for fear that they would be killed. Ryu took this into his own hands and let the flames from her Fire Magic burn into him, bringing tears into Toriel’s eyes. “Why must you make this so difficult, my child?”

Ryu grinned weakly as the flames licked and cooked his skin, refusing to show the main he was going through out of sheer determination. “Sorry, Goat Mom,” Ryu gritted out, using the terminology he had adopted from Frisk. “But I care about you too much to let you and all of Monsterkind rot down here!”

“Why?!”

“Because you’re the first source of motherly love that I could properly remember in a long time!” Ryu snapped, causing Toriel’s eyes to widen and her Magic to die out. Ryu took this moment to charge right at Toriel… and hugged her tightly. “Please… if you really do love Frisk and me… you’ll let us go.”

Toriel instantly hugged back, collapsing into a sobbing mess as she healed the boy’s wounded form with her Magic. “A soul as pure as yours… why did you have to suffer so? Why did you fall?” The former Queen sobbed out, as Ryu weakly hugged his mother figure, yet didn’t say anything.

* * *

“well, well, well. don’t you know how to greet a new friend? turn around and shake my hand.” Ryu heard from behind him, as Frisk grinned from where she stood near the strange bridge they were near. He turned around and shook the shadowed, short figure’s hand, only to be met with the sound of a whoopee cushion going off, along with the shadowy figure being revealed to be a short Monster that seemed to be made of bone. “heh, the old whoopee cushion in the hand trick. it’s ALWAYS funny…”

The Monster paused momentarily, the lights in its eyes going out as Ryu was forced to stare into its black eyes… he seemed to be thinking, but then he returned to his normal self. “anyways, you two are humans, right? that’s hilarious. i’m sans. sans the skeleton. i’m actually supposed to be on watch for humans right now. but... y’know… i don’t really care about capturing anybody. now, my brother, papyrus? he’s a human-hunting FANATIC.” Ryu had no idea how to respond to anything this ‘Sans’ person was talking about. “hey, actually, i think that’s him over there.”

“Wait, a human hunter? Where?” Ryu could hear Frisk’s snickers from behind him, as she immediately walked down the bridge and hid behind a conveniently Frisk-shaped lamp.

“yeah, your friend there has the right idea. come on, walk through the gate thingy. we can find you a place to hide.” Sans then pushed him through the bridge and then pointed at a sentry post. “behind there, go on then. and be quick about it.” Ryu didn’t bother to argue as he immediately hid, just in time too, as another skeleton rushed in. This one was taller, wearing a strange suit of armor (or what looked like it) and a red scarf.

“sup, bro?”

“YOU KNOW WHAT’S ‘SUP’, BROTHER!” The taller skeleton said in a loud and boisterous voice. “IT’S BEEN EIGHT DAYS, AND YOU STILL HAVEN’T… RECALIBRATED. YOUR. PUZZLES!” Papyrus seemed pretty frustrated about this too, like this was something he was tired of seeing Sans do (or not do in this case). “YOU JUST HANG AROUND OUTSIDE YOUR STATION! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!”

“i’m just staring at the sentry station.” Ryu froze, his blood running cold. Was Sans about to out him to his human-hunter brother? “it’s really cool. wanna take a look?”

“NO!” Papyrus adamantly refused, causing Ryu to release a small sigh of relief, as he was unknowingly holding his breath. “I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT! WHAT IF A HUMAN COMES THROUGH HERE!?! I WANT TO BE READY! I WILL BE THE ONE! I MUST BE THE ONE! I WILL CAPTURE A HUMAN!” Papyrus then took a superhero-like pose. “THEN I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL GET ALL THE THINGS I UTTERLY DESERVE! RESPECT… RECOGNITION! I WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD! PEOPLE WILL ASK… TO BE… MY FRIEND? I WILL BATHE IN A SHOWER OF KISSES EVERY MORNING!” Interesting. Looks like this guy just wanted either friendship or recognition from… someone. Someone he admired, probably. If what Frisk was saying was true, then he could ask her about what was up with him.

“hm... maybe this sentry station can help you,” Sans said, still pushing for Papyrus to check Ryu’s hiding spot and sending the young former Prince into a small anxiety attack.

“SANS! YOU ARE NOT HELPING, YOU LAZYBONES!” Papyrus was now throwing a small fit, tired of his brother’s antics probably. “ALL YOU DO IS SIT AROUND AND BOONDOGGLE! YOU GET LAZIER AND LAZIER EVERY DAY!”

“hey, take it easy, i’ve gotten a  **ton** of work done today.” Ryu’s bad joke sensors were going off, warning him that Sans would be a threat to his sanity. “A  **skele-ton** .” Ryu was now internally screaming in pain, as he took damage from that horrible pun.

“SANS!”

“come on. you’re smiling.” Sans’ eternal grin widened, as Papyrus sighed tiredly.

“I AM, AND I HATE IT!” The taller brother said, crossing his arms over his torso. “WHY DOES SOMEONE AS GREAT AS ME… HAVE TO DO SO MUCH TO GET SOME RECOGNITION AROUND HERE?”

“wow, it really sounds like you’re working yourself…” No, no, no, no. Don’t you dare fucking do it, Sans. Ryu was literally about to scream. “ **To the bone.** ” Ryu muffled his screams of agony as he covered his face in his hands.

“UGH! I WILL ATTEND TO MY PUZZLES!” Papyrus declared, apparently having enough of Sans’ puns as well. “AS FOR YOUR WORK… PUT A LITTLE MORE…  **BACKBONE** INTO IT!”

...This was hell. This was hell and Ryu was paying for the sins of some future or past incarnation, wasn’t he? That was the only explanation for these horrible puns. Papyrus left, and then Sans ‘coughed’ into his hand. “alright, you two can come out now.”

Ryu wasn’t even sure if he wanted to anymore. He just wanted to curl up and hide forever.

* * *

Frisk had left him to complete the next encounter, the Papyrus one, as she went off to go talk with Sans. Something about convincing him to not be a threat? He didn’t really understand how the lazy skeleton could threaten him, but he rolled with it. He walked over to the encounter zone, blinded by the snowy blizzard surrounding him as he began to see a silhouette of Papyrus. “HUMAN RYU!” The aspiring Royal Guardsman called out. “ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME COMPLEX FEELINGS. FEELINGS LIKE… THE JOY OF FINDING ANOTHER PASTA LOVER. THE ADMIRATION OF ANOTHER’S PUZZLE-SOLVING SKILLS. THE DESIRE TO HAVE A COOL, SMART PERSON THINK YOU ARE COOL. THESE FEELINGS… THEY MUST BE WHAT YOU ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW!” Well, he wasn’t completely wrong, Ryu supposed… “I CAN HARDLY IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO FEEL THAT WAY. AFTER ALL, I AM VERY GREAT. I DON’T EVER WONDER WHAT HAVING LOTS OF FRIENDS MUST BE LIKE. I PITY YOU, LONELY HUMAN RYU. BUT FEAR NOT! YOU SHALL BE LONELY NO LONGER! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE YOUR…”

“Friend?” Ryu suggested once the skeleton mysteriously went silent.

“...” Papyrus blankly stared at him before looking away. “...NO… NO, THIS IS ALL WRONG! I CAN’T BE YOUR FRIEND!” Okay, ouch. Not like he didn’t have feelings or anything. “YOU ARE A HUMAN! I MUST CAPTURE YOU! THEN, I CAN FULFILL MY LIFELONG DREAM! POWERFUL! POPULAR! PRESTIGIOUS! THAT’S PAPYRUS! THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD!” And with that, the battle began, with Ryu never once attacking the skeleton and staying defensive with his rather limited magic.

* * *

“Wow, look at you, bulldozing through everything in your way. You’re really a wild card, aren’t you, Ryu?” Frisk teased her brother figure as they left the cold of Snowdin and into the next area. She grew somewhat serious as she stopped him from getting too close to what she referred to as ‘Waterfall’. “Ryu, the next person in our way is legitimately and truly dangerous. This will be one of the first opponents where your opponent will be genuinely trying to kill you. Be prepared.” She warned, before letting him enter the bushes before them.

Then, a familiar presence entered the Waterfall area, with Ryu looking out to see Papyrus talking with a menacing armor-clad figure. He could only hear Papyrus, because of his loud voice and nature, though. “H… HI, UNDYNE! I’M HERE WITH MY DAILY REPORT!” The skeleton Monster stuttered out in an almost militaristic fashion. “UHH… REGARDING THOSE HUMANS I CALLED YOU ABOUT EARLIER… HUH? DID I FIGHT THEM? Y-YES, OF COURSE, I DID! OR AT LEAST, I FOUGHT  _ ONE _ OF THEM. THE OTHER WAS STAYING BEHIND, LEAVING ME TO DEAL WITH THE MALE. B-BUT I FOUGHT HIM VALIANTLY! WHAT? DID I… CAPTURE THEM? W-WELL…” Papyrus almost seemed to look their way, as if he somehow knew Ryu and Frisk were hiding in the bushes. “NO. I TRIED VERY HARD, UNDYNE, BUT IN THE END… I FAILED. THEY PACIFIED ME.” The armored figure turned to face Papyrus directly, as he somewhat startled. “W-WHAT?! YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE BOTH THEIR SOULS? B-BUT UNDYNE, THAT’S A LITTLE OVERKILL, IS IT NOT? B-BESIDES, YOU’LL SEE, THEY’RE KIND! RYU’S PLANNING TO-”

“...Who’s Ryu.” Were the first words he was actually able to hear from Undyne, and Frisk seemed genuinely surprised too.

“R-RYU… IS A POWERFUL HUMAN. H-HE CAN LEARN FROM OTHER PEOPLE’S MAGIC AFTER BATTLING THEM! HE’S ALREADY REPLICATED FIRE AND ICE MAGIC FROM SOME MONSTERS EARLIER, AND I THINK HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REPLICATE MORE IN THE FUTURE!” Papyrus explained in a hurry. “I-I AM HOPING RYU MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE ALL HIS POWER TO USE SOME SORT OF SUPER MAGIC SPELL TO BREAK THE BARRIER!”

“...Papyrus, humans are selfish. I don’t know this Ryu guy, but humans won’t do something like that. He’ll probably just use whatever magic he has to leave.”

“NO, HE WON’T!” Papyrus was now adamantly defending Ryu, and the young Prince was touched. “IF OTHER HUMANS ARE LIKE THAT, FINE. BUT RYU ISN’T LIKE THOSE HUMANS! HE CARES ABOUT US AND WANTS US TO GO FREE!”

“Hah, I’ll believe it when I see it.” Undyne scoffed, before glaring at Papyrus through her armor. “Just go home, Pap.” The skeleton was forced to back down, as he then reluctantly left. Frisk then tugged at Ryu’s arm and pulled him through the bushes slightly, catching Undyne’s attention. Ryu looked at Frisk in a panic, as she seemed eerily calm like she wanted this to happen. The armored Monster took steps toward their area, summoning a spear into her hand. Ryu was frozen still with primal fear, as he stared impending death right in the eye. The Captain of the Royal Guard then dispersed her spear when she determined (wrongly) that no one was there, and disappeared into the shadows moments later.

Ryu then looked at Frisk in a panic. “WHAT THE HELL-”

“I apologize for nothing.” Was Frisk’s casual response.

* * *

After the stress of Undyne, Hotlands, and the CORE; came the next obstacle. Mettaton. As Ryu walked into the final room that would lead to the elevator, he looked at Frisk, who shrugged. “You’ve got enough magic power now, Ryu. Handle this yourself. I’m your guide, not your babysitter.” Frisk said in a bored manner, causing him to sigh as he stepped up to face the over-glorified computer box.

“OH, YES. THERE YOU ARE, DARLING.” The robot greeted him. “IT’S TIME TO HAVE OUR LITTLE SHOWDOWN. IT’S TIME TO FINALLY STOP THE ‘MALFUNCTIONING’ ROBOT… NOT! MALFUNCTIONING? REPROGRAMMING? GET REAL. THIS WAS ALL JUST A BIG SHOW. AN ACT. ALPHYS HAS BEEN PLAYING YOU FOR A FOOL THE WHOLE TIME, MAGICAL. AS SHE WATCHED YOU ON HER SCREENS, SHE GREW ATTACHED TO YOUR ADVENTURE. SHE DESPERATELY WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT. SO SHE DECIDED TO INSERT HERSELF INTO YOUR STORY. SHE REACTIVATED PUZZLES. SHE DISABLED ELEVATORS. SHE ENLISTED ME TO TORMENT YOU. ALL TO SAVE YOU FROM DANGERS THAT DIDN’T EXIST, TO GAIN YOUR TRUST. SO YOU COULD THINK OF HER AS THE GREAT PERSON… THAT’S SHE’S NOT. AND NOW, ITS TIME FOR HER FINEST HOUR. AT THIS VERY MOMENT, ALPHYS IS WAITING OUTSIDE THIS ROOM. DURING OUR ‘BATTLE’, SHE WILL INTERRUPT. SHE WILL PRETEND TO ‘DEACTIVATE’ ME, ‘SAVING’ YOU ONE FINAL TIME. FINALLY, SHE’LL BE THE HEROINE OF YOUR ADVENTURE.” At this point, Ryu was just  _ letting _ Mettaton go on with his monologue out of boredom. “YOU’LL REGARD HER SO HIGHLY, SHE’LL EVEN BE ABLE TO CONVINCE YOU NOT TO LEAVE… OR NOT. YOU SEE, I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS PREDICTABLE CHARADE. I HAVE NO DESIRE TO HARM HUMANS, FAR FROM IT ACTUALLY. MY ONLY DESIRE IS TO ENTERTAIN. AFTER ALL, THE AUDIENCE DESERVES A GOOD SHOW, DON’T THEY? AND WHAT’S A GOOD SHOW… WITHOUT A PLOT TWIST?” And with those words, the door behind them shut with a thud, and someone knocked from the outside. Alphys.

“H-hey! Wh-wh-what’s going on?” The royal scientist asked through the door, her voice muffled. “The door locked itself!”

Mettaton drew out his arms and microphone, as the floor beneath them lit up with stage lights. “SORRY, FOLKS! THE OLD PROGRAM’S BEEN CANCELLED! BUT WE’VE GOT A FINALE THAT WILL DRIVE YOU WILD!” The floor beneath them then rose… and then rapidly shot them upwards, wind whipping past Ryu as Frisk got up to help him in this fight since like Undyne, it's not like she could get out of it. “REAL DRAMA! REAL ACTION! REAL BLOODSHED! ON OUR NEW SHOW… ‘ATTACK OF THE KILLER ROBOT’!” And with that, the battle against the robotic entertainer begun.

* * *

“...Ryu, this next part of the story is gonna be sensitive. You’ll learn more about Chara and Asriel, but I’m also afraid you might get a bit too emotional.” Frisk warned Ryu as the duo reached the next zone, known as New Home. The former human Prince idly stared at the gray house before nodding stiffly as he entered, tapping the save point beside him with Frisk as he did so. The moment he did, a wave of nostalgia hit him… as if he had returned to somewhere familiar. He walked over to a padlock, reading the note attached to the thing preventing him from going downstairs.

_ Howdy! I’m in the garden. If you have anything you need to get off your chest, please don’t hesitate to come! The keys are in the kitchen and the hallway. _

Ryu wandered aimlessly, using his memories of Toriel’s home to navigate ‘New Home’, before two Froggits jumped in front of him. “A long time ago, a human fell into the ruins. Injured by its fall, the human cried out for help.” The frog Monsters then hopped off, as Ryu continued searching once he was free. He entered the kitchen and took the yellow key that sat on the kitchen countertop, immediately leaving said kitchen.

Once he left the kitchen, two Whimsuns fluttered over to him. “Asriel, the King’s son, heard the humans call. He brought them back to the castle.” The flying, shy creatures then flew away, as Ryu silently digested this information. The information on Asriel and Chara’s true identities, their stories, was one thing Frisk kept from him after all. He walked to the other side of the house, finding a room that seemed eerily similar to the room he and Frisk were sleeping in originally back at Toriel’s. On the floor were two presents, which he flipped over to reveal a dagger and a heart-shaped locket. He gave both to Frisk, and the duo left the room again.

By then, they were interrupted by three Moldsmals. “Over time, Asriel and the human became like siblings. The King and Queen treated the human child as their own. The underground was full of hope.” The gelatinous creatures then disappeared, as Ryu walked past a room with a sign above it. ‘Room under renovations’. He took the next key, colored green, as he stared at a mirror next to him.

**_“Despite everything, it’s still you.”_ ** The voice of Corruption said into his ear, sending shivers down his spine as he hated hearing  _ its _ voice. He left the mirror immediately, not allowing himself to look at the purple-colored demon that appeared next to his reflection. He walked over to the stairs and opened the gate, walking down.

Then, two Migosp scurried out of nowhere to interrupt them. “Then… one day… the human became very ill.” They scurried off, with three Vegetoids took their place, the living carrots speaking to them.

“The sick human only had one request. To see the flowers from their village. But there was nothing we could do.” The Vegetoids then dug themselves back into the dirt, as Ryu continued to listen to the story that Frisk had heard dozens of times over.

“The next day… the next day…” The two Loox before them went silent, as one then continued the story despite their sadness. “The human died.” The Monsters then rushed off, with Ryu feeling something grow in his throat. He was starting to be affected by the story despite not even being apart of it, or knowing who Asriel or Chara were aside from small comments from Frisk.

Two Snowdrakes appeared, or at least two Snowdrake-like Monsters. “Asriel, wracked with grief, absorbed the human’s soul. He transformed into a being of incredible power.”

A trio of Ice Caps. “With his sibling’s soul, Asriel crossed through the barrier. He carried their body into the sunset. Back to the village of the humans.”

More Monsters, three Woshuas, wobbled up to them. “Asriel reached the center of the village. There, he found a bed of flowers. He carried the human onto it.”

“Suddenly, screams rang out. The villagers saw Asriel holding his sibling’s body. They thought that he had killed her.” The three Shyrens, not looking at them, told the story with their backs facing them.

An assortment of ghost-possessed dummies appeared. “The humans attacked him with everything they had. He was struck with blow after blow. Asriel had the power to destroy them all.”

Knight Knight and Madjick stood up next, carrying the next part of the fable. “But… Asriel did not fight back.” Knight Knight raised her staff and slammed it into the floor for further emphasis. “Clutching their sibling in hand, Asriel smiled… and walked away.”

Three Final Froggits jumped down from the ceiling, nearly startling Ryu. “Wounded, Asriel stumbled home. He entered the castle and collapsed. His dust spread across the garden.”

A trio of Whimsalots flew out, holding their small spears. “The Kingdom fell into despair. The King and Queen had lost two children in one night. The humans had once again taken everything from us.”

An eyesore of Astigmatisms strolled out. “The king had decided it was time to end our suffering. Every human that falls down here must die. With enough souls, we could shatter the barrier. We have acquired six souls… yet our greatest enemies from the outside have learned of our status. They split Ebott from the rest of the world with the power of their greatest King.”

“But still, it’s not long now.” An assortment of creatures appeared. A Loox, a Migosp, and a Moldsmal. “King Asgore will let us go. King Asgore will give us hope. King Asgore will save us all.”

A Pyrope and two Vulkins appeared. “You should be smiling too! Aren’t you excited? Aren’t you happy?”

They had reached the end, where a single Froggit stared down Ryu with a blank look. “You’re going to be free, Ryu.”

Ryu stared down at it, before nodding hesitantly as it hopped off. Ryu then turned to Frisk, with tears in his eyes. “It was me, Frisk… my dad was the one who split Ebott from the mainland. My family was the one who killed Asriel… this is my fault…”

“It isn’t… the things your ancestors did aren’t on you. You don’t carry your family’s sins.” Frisk assured him… before leading him into the next area, where Sans stood with a blank look in his eyes.

Ryu stood in the Judgement Hall with Frisk and Sans, with him looking at the skeleton monster seriously. He looked at his adoptive sister. “Frisk, go on without me. I think Sans and I need to have a nice talk.”   
  
Frisk looked at Ryu worriedly but nodded. “Be safe, bro.” She then left them both reluctantly. Ryu stared at Sans intensely and then broke the silence.

“What do you want, Sans.” He asked. Sans chuckled.

“nothing much, really. i’m just really suspicious of you and your intentions. your LV is higher than it’s supposed to be, and your EXP is somehow zero. it’s really confusing and off-putting.” Then the skeleton’s face darkened. “and i don’t like anomalies. you were never supposed to fall in this timeline kiddo.”

Ryuuto shrugged. “Well, I did fall, what are you gonna do about it?”

“try and make you give up all your secrets, by killing you over and over again,” Sans responded, his right eye flashing blue and yellow. Ryuuto frowned and summoned his Determination Shield.

“You can certainly try, Sans.” He said, his eyes turning a dark purple as he tapped into his Corruption. For a few moments, human and Monster stared at each other, with Ryuuto clenching his shield tightly. Then Sans made the first move, summoning a barrage of bones and shooting them at Ryuuto.

Ryuuto expanded his shield, deflecting the attacks with the red barrier. Ryuuto heard a strange sound behind him and saw a weird dragon skull. It fired a blue beam of energy at him, which his body immediately reacted to, jumping above it and landing on the skull, punching it, and turning it into wisps of Magic that he absorbed. He then immediately turned, summoning his own dragon skull, which was black in color. It’s purple eyes looked at its summoner. “Fire,” Ryuuto commanded. The black Blaster shot a purple-red beam at Sans’ Blaster. They ended up stuck in a beam clash, with blue and purple-red fighting for dominance. Ryuuto felt the Blaster draining at his Magic, so he called it off and then ducked under the beam, which burnt his hair slightly.

Ryuuto glared at Sans. “I won’t fight you! I won’t hurt you!” Sans frowned, summoning more bones and Blasters.

“your LV says otherwise, brat!” The skeleton Monster shot back. Ryuuto clenched his fist and summoned two Determination Shields, fusing them into one massive shield. The barrage of attacks was blocked, but the shield broke. Sans stomped his foot on the floor, his eye flashing brightly.

Bones came out of the floor and rushed at Ryuuto, who put his hand out.  **“GALE WIND!”** He roared, a massive ripple of wind shooting out from his palm and shattering all the bones. He sensed a Blaster near him and his hand crackled with black lightning.

He turned around quickly, swiping his hand through the air.  **“BLACK STORM!”** He hissed as a wave of lightning erupted from his hand, and rocketed towards the Blaster, splitting it in half.

_ For the ones watching the fight in the present day, things skipped to the final part of Ryu’s fight with the monster. Why? Because Ryu didn’t want people knowing of the truth. That he had died over 600 times because of one… man(?)’s suspicions. _

“Enough!” Ryu threw his hands outward, a wave of a pale green aura exploding off of him and causing Sans to fall to his feet, lethargic.

“huh... guess you had something up your sleeve after all…” The skeleton Monster grinned up at him. “You gonna kill me or something?”

“...” Ryu silently walked forward, as Sans sighed, preparing for the worst… and then looked up in surprise as Ryu walked past him. “I told you once, Sans. I told you a million more times. I’m not going to kill you. I’m not a murderer.” Ryu glared at the skeleton before leaving to find and assist Frisk.

* * *

When Ryuuto reawoke, his vision was blurry, and his memories were scattered. It took some time, but he realized what had happened.

_ He killed Asgore, and Frisk was killed by Flowey. Then Flowey… _

“Took… the souls… before she could come back...” Ryuuto didn’t know why, but whenever he thought about the souls; he felt… angry about their deaths. More so than the Yellow and Dark Blue souls. He pulled himself to his feet and looked around the dark void surrounding him before taking a few steps forward, and found a SAVE. It was different, half-silver, half-yellow. He tapped it, before feeling a horrible feeling deep in his soul. And then it happened.

**“GET AWAY!”** Corruption roared, as Ryuuto did so, jumping back and watching as a massive TV screen crushed his SAVE point. It would have crushed him too if he didn’t jump…

And then the TV screen turned on, and Ryuuto saw the face on it was identical to Flowey’s. Then the monstrous flower giggled. “Heya Ryuuto! I hope you had fun killing Asgore, you seemed happy with his death! Especially after how he hurt poor, poor Frisk!”

“Y-you…” Ryuuto took a single step back, horrified by this new form of Flowey. Sure, Frisk told him about all of this, but he never thought this... aura would be this…  _ terrifying _ .

“Oh, you’re scared aren’t you?” Flowey smiled from his screen sadistically.  **_“Good.”_ **

“Stop this Flowey! Let me go back!” Ryuuto mustered up whatever courage he had left in him, as Flowey frowned.

“Back? Now, why would I do that? I’ll enjoy ripping you to shreds infinitely! With the six human souls, I’m a GOD! And you… I’ll enjoy killing you, over, and  _ over _ , and  **_over_ ** again.” Flowey laughed to himself, as Ryuuto drew his steel sword, pointing the blade at Omega Flowey.

“If you won’t  _ let _ me go back, I’ll force you.” Omega Flowey obviously didn’t expect that much defiance from his prey as he was shocked into silence.

“Well… Even facing your superior, you still stay defiant and determined. Typical… Oh well…  **I’ll enjoy crushing your hopes and dreams!** ” And then, from the TV grew a massive,  _ disgusting _ lump of human flesh, plant mass, and machinery. It kept growing, and growing, and growing until Ryuuto was face to face with Omega Flowey in all his freakish glory. Omega Flowey laughed a horrifying laugh as he used his massive power boost to slap Ryuuto away with ease.

The white and red-haired Prince got up slowly, and charged at Omega Flowey, blade first as he struck them… and barely scratched the freak’s television screen. “Oh, you scratched me…  _ how annoying _ .” Flowey grabbed Ryuuto and began to crush them in his clawed floral ‘hands’, enjoying how he could feel his foe’s bones pop and crack under the pressure. Flowey would have killed Ryuuto outright, but he lost a bit of control as Ryuuto screamed for help, as he felt the Patience soul try to come out.

Flowey growled, not wanting to lose any of his souls, and threw the Prince at the floor; raising an arm and summoning dozens of bombs.... And then lost control, as the Patience soul was drawn out and attacked Ryuuto. Flowey grinned, it seems like he  _ still _ did control the Souls!

When Ryuuto got up and healed himself up a bit with Corruption’s help, he ducked a swipe of a toy knife as he stared at the pale spectral being attacking him. He felt his mind and soul scream and ache as he realized just who it was. Nanna, one of his old pen-pals from the Surface. He dodged every attack as he grabbed Nanna’s arm, threw the toy knife away from them, and hugged his friend. “Come back! Don’t let him control you, Nanna!”

Nanna lost her pale tone as her eyes widened, realizing who she was fighting as memories flooded back to her. “R-Ryu?”   
  
**_“NO!”_ ** Omega Flowey snarled, drawing back Nanna immediately. “DIE, RYUUTO!” He shot the bombs that were floating mid-air at the Prince, who growled, his eyes gaining a light blue section as he then immediately calmed down and closed his eyes. He waited, and then opened his eyes again, dodging almost every bomb, only burned slightly a single bomb’s heat.

_ ‘Close call…’  _ Ryuuto thought to himself as he felt that brief power boost inside of him fade. He didn’t know why, but when he hugged Nanna, he felt… more Patient.

Flowey’s eyes then shot X-shaped bullets at Ryuuto, as each one scraped him, cutting through the fabric of his clothes and narrowly grazing his skin. Flowey then released more, this time in threes, as Ryuuto learned from this and ran in the opposite direction quickly. He coated his sword in lighting as he released the black stream of electricity at the monstrous flower abomination.

Flowey was temporarily paralyzed, as Ryuuto jumped into the air and punched Omega Flowey as hard as he could, knocking the large monster back a few feet. “Oh, you’re still fighting back? Maybe this will teach you a lesson!” Omega Flowey released the Orange soul, as it formed into a pale orange spectral boy wearing gloves and a bandanna.

The lost Soul went to attack Ryuuto, as Ryuuto coated his hands in fire magic, and countered and deflected each and every blow. The way the Soul fought… the aura of it, everything… it reminded him of another friend of his… “MIKE!” Ryuuto slapped the Lost Soul with a flaming hand, as it slowly regained its original orange color.

“Wait, Ryuuto? What’s goin-”   
  
“ENOUGH!” Flowey reabsorbed Mike’s soul, but not before Mike shot a healing projectile at his old friend. Ryuuto took it into his hand and felt revitalized and more… Brave. Omega Flowey raised his arm and went to crush Ryuuto, but Ryuuto raised his own hands and grabbed Flowey, before flipping the monstrous flower over his head. He then summoned a Gaster Blaster, shooting the purple-gray blast at Flowey with anger in his eyes. Flowey regained his bearings and opened his maw, releasing a larger blue beacon of energy at Ryuuto. His eyes widened, as he raised his right arm, a large orange magic shield forming in front of him and tanking the blast before shattering. His feeling of Bravery left him.

The crazed Flower god continued his assault on Ryuuto, making sure to save in case he didn’t hit him, but Ryuuto was smart; when he noticed Flowey save, he kept moving. Sure, he could take the risk of being hit to get stronger, but he didn’t want to risk it. He was already at half health anyway. He screamed for help again and smirked briefly as he saw the dark blue soul be drawn out of Flowey.

Again, the Lost Soul attacked him, but Ryuuto dodged every single kick from them. He noticed the familiar hairstyle and clothing, his eyes narrowing as he tripped the soul up, before grabbing their hand and bringing them into another hug before the Lost Soul could regain its bearings. “Stop it, Justine! You’re not yourself!” Like the rest of the Souls before her, Justine regained her consciousness and realized who she was fighting, as she felt Flowey begin to draw her in again. Before Justine left, she tossed a healing projectile at him, as Ryuuto felt his health go back up slightly.

Flowey was getting tired of all his opponent’s resistance and began to use more and more power against them, but Ryuuto drew his hand back, energy forming in it as he blasted Flowey’s attacks away. Ryuuto stabbed his sword into Flowey’s arm, causing the flower to screech in pain and draw back slightly, forced to draw out the Purple Soul.

The soul was someone Ryuuto knew immediately, he didn’t even need to think. It was Tracy, it had to be, with the glasses and notebook; and how the Lost Soul carried herself. He didn’t even give the soul a chance to attack as he hugged her tightly, silently shocked as every Lost Soul that Flowey attacked him with; that every soul Asgore killed…  _ was someone he knew at some point in time. _

Tracy slowly regained control over herself, she was about to attack Ryuuto, but then realized she was in her best friend’s embrace. Her eyes lit up with emotion, as she then gained awareness of where she was, quickly healing Ryuuto before Flowey dragged her back.

Flowey, meanwhile, was frustrated and angry. Somehow, every Soul he threw at Ryuuto was pacified with a simple hug or gesture! Fine! HE’LL THROW TWO SOULS AT HIM!

Flowey released both Justice and Kindness at once, having them attack Ryuuto. But the Prince was expecting this, dodging the bullets Justice released and blocking the fireballs Kindness shot at him. But he knew them by different names.

_ ‘Mira and Ethan…’ _ Ryuuto’s anger was bubbling over again, but he pushed on, trying to near the Lost Souls to interact with them.

“MIRA! ETHAN! IT’S ME, RYU! DON’T YOU REMEMBER ME?” Ryuuto called out, as the green and yellow spectral beings blinked in confusion.

“Ryu…?” They muttered, standing around, confused. Ryuuto walked up to them both, as he smiled patiently.

“Yeah, it’s me! Remember? Go Team Colors?”

“Team… Colors…?” Mira seemed to regain her memories first, and Ethan took a few more seconds of contemplation before he snapped out of Flowey’s control. “Holy crap! Ryu?!”

“NO!” Flowey roared. This can’t be happening, IT ISN’T POSSIBLE! How did this one boy ruin all of his plans?! It enraged him! Flowey opened his maw again, blasting Ryuuto with a beacon of blue energy, and the blast connected. Flowey laughed, believing himself to be victorious…

But then Flowey felt it. A disgusting, overwhelming presence of dark magic. The smoke cleared quickly, and Ryuuto’s alternate self stood before him again unharmed, now with more fury and power in his dark purple eyes than ever. “Mira, Ethan. Draw out the rest of the Souls.” Ryushi said coldly. “I’ll take care of Flowey from that point on.”

“Right!” The Kindness and Justice souls nodded as they quickly healed their friend, not questioning the sudden transformation he underwent, and then went to grab the others from Flowey.

Flowey tried to stop them, but Ryushi dashed right at Flowey and kicked them down to distract them. Unlike all the other times he hit Flowey, he noticed actual damage. He jumped back afterward, noticing the rest of the souls flow out of Flowey; and went to absorb them. Ryushi felt many times more powerful... like he could do anything.

“W-what did you do…?” Omega Flowey growled, stumbling slightly.

“Nothing much... just liberated the souls from your grasp.” Ryushi regained control of his SAVE and summoned a large fireball, noticing it now had a dark rainbow tint and blasted Omega Flowey with it. The monstrous timeline destroyer was knocked away, burnt by the attack. Ryuuto teleported behind them and conjured up a Gaster Blaster, attacking them from the back with a dark rainbow blast.

Flowey released every attack he could against Ryushi, but he raised a hand; hundreds of sharp black icicles being summoned and shooting them all at Flowey’s direction with deadly accuracy. With Flowey damaged and disoriented by the barrage, Ryushi smirked, letting Ryuuto take back control.

The Prince-turned-God charged up all his power and the power of his friends into his left hand, rainbow magic forming in it. “FALL!” Ryuuto roared, charging at Flowey, the rainbow magic coating Ryuuto’s form as he became a rainbow streak of power; piercing Flowey with all of the rampant magic exploding the monstrous flower’s form.

* * *

Eventually, the memory show ended. Ryu, present Ryu, to be precise; did not want people to know that he had toppled gods and beings that didn’t ‘exist’ technically. He drew in the  **Hate** for the screen… or at least, he attempted to. The show didn’t end, or at least not Ryu’s. Something appeared on the screen, catching everyone’s attention. “Sir Ryu… this looks like it’s before your… journey,” Miklotov said as Ryu’s eyes widened. This.. was another memory, like the ones in his dreams… but it was appearing at the least opportune moment.

_ Days passed, with Ryu missing his family with each passing day. He constantly grew more anxious, marking each day on a calendar as he waited for their return. On the final day, he waited outside for their return with a smile… only for the smile to fade once that nightfall came. He shook it off, marking it up as a delay. Mother would come back. She had to. She made a promise. He could just enjoy today since he had a birthday party to attend. As each day passed, he felt more and more self-conscious. _

~~_ Had they… abandoned him? It had been a month already… _ ~~

_ Marcus, Ryu’s older cousin, watched from a window as he grew worried. “Hey, mom, shouldn’t we try to figure out a way to contact the King or help Ryu?” He asked Rin, with the middle-aged Patience Mage tiredly smiling. _

_ ”He can get through this, boy. He’s strong, just like his father. Nothing can keep him down. ‘Sides, I think he doesn’t need to wait too much longer.” Rin replied though she had her own worries about her nephew’s mental health as well. _

_ Ryu eventually looked up once he saw a horse walk up to him, with the Royal Courier having a sad expression on his face. The young Prince stood up, asking for information on his parents, but only immediately regretting it as tears fell down his face. _

_ ”Did you hear? The High Queen just tried to kill her husband!” _

_ ”Wait, the King? Really?” _

_ ”Talk about family drama, this is the messiest divorce ever!” _

_ ”People say she was planning it from the start.” _

_ ”I heard she was executed on the spot!” _

_ ”I heard her son was the one to kill her!” _

_ ”Really? Which one?” _

_ ”Apparently, Prince Blaze was the one to do the deed! People even say he had no remorse on his face, too!” _

_ ”Poor Ryu, didn’t the Queen make a promise to him or something?” _

The memory cut off, as Ryu blankly stared at the now fading screen, with the  **Hate** mist being drawn back into him. Everyone in the room grew concerned for him, especially Reinhard, who put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Ryu… are you okay?” The red-haired knight asked, as Ryu’s eyes pricked with tears.

“She lied… she died… Mother… died…” Ryu whispered as the world around him faded away slowly. A pain ached in his chest, as he fell to his knees, his heart clenched over his heart. These memories were his, they did happen, and he knew who kept them from him. A person’s soul sometimes blocked off traumatic memories when someone is a child, and it sometimes reappeared as a different personality to carry the memories, since they couldn’t just disappear.  _ Ryushi was who he would have become if his soul didn’t suppress his memory. _

The pain in his chest increased, as Emilia and Reinhard rushed to his aid. “He’s going under cardiac arrest!” Reinhard declared as Emilia began administering healing aid. The other Candidates watched from afar, not seeing a reason to interfere as the situation would be soon under control. Reinhard even internally asked Od Laguna for a Divine Protection to help him heal Ryu, acquiring a newly made-up Divine Protection of Perfect Healing for this occasion.

Ryu’s vision slowly blacked out, as he felt nothing but despair. If his mother had died, why? Why did she do it? Why did she try to kill his dad? Did Blaze really kill her?

_...if his mother was gone, then… was he truly alone? _

…

* * *

Inside of Ryu’s soul was a chaotic mess as Ryushi and Austin freaked out. The Soul Plane was losing its color as Ryu was rapidly losing his Determination, the red half of his soul graying out.  **_“I thought you said he was ready, Shi!”_ ** Austin snapped at Ryushi, who was desperately trying to keep his alternate half/brother figure’s soul together.

**“I thought he was! I didn’t expect this memory to be that traumatic!”** Ryushi said, before noticing a few dozen dark hands appear out of nowhere and push against Ryu’s soul, keeping it together. Austin and Ryushi watched in astonishment and confusion before a female’s voice echoed throughout the darkening Soul Plane.

“Save. Him. Save. Him. Save. Him.” The voice repeated that phrase endlessly, growing louder with each repetition before reaching a peak. “SAVE HIM, HATE!”

Austin’s eyes widened before they narrowed as the blob of dark magic took a humanoid form and raised his hand. He shot a jet of his own power into Ryu’s soul, replacing the now faded Determination with undistilled Hate. He would rather not do this, but Ryu’s soul was too unstable at the moment and he had no other options. When the gray had been overtaken by black essence, the dozen hands faded, with the woman’s voice echoing out again. “Take my blessing, love.” Was the last they heard of the voice, as Ryushi looked at Austin with a concerned expression. The Origin of Hate… was oddly silent. Any conversation he tried to have with him… was for naught.

* * *

When Ryu woke up, he felt… nothing. His eyes half-lidded and droopy, he looked around the room. “Oh… back at Roswaal Manor, huh?” He asked no one in particular, before noticing Rem’s sleeping form in a chair next to him. He smiled kindly at the maid, before getting up and putting a blanket around her. He then moved over to Teymin, where the Wolgarm was currently munching on a bone. She sprung up when she saw him awake and panted happily, as Ryu scratched and pet her. He formed a leash of  **Hate** and put it around her, as he then walked over to the bathroom he was given and looking in the mirror. His reflection was tired, his hair messy and clothes just as so. But that wasn’t getting his attention. It was the fact that his eyes had changed colors. Once red and yellow-green, they were now black in one and dark gold in the other. He drew out his soul, as he soon realized what happened before now and his current state. “...I’ve lost my Determination… huh.” The most surprising thing to Ryu, was how he didn’t seem to care anymore.

He cleaned himself up, and then walked out the door to the manor, but stopped when he sensed someone behind him. “...Emilia. Good morning.” He greeted her tiredly, as she looked at him with concern in her amethyst eyes.

“Ryu, what’s going on? Where are you going? You just got up, you shouldn’t be walking around like this.” Emilia said, walking down the steps and reaching out to touch his cheek. Ryu grabbed her hand, stopping her, though his hold was gentle… his eyes weren’t.

“Emilia, I realized I can’t stay anymore.” He replied to the princess, confusing her more.

“What do you mean? Of course, you can stay, Ryu! What’s wrong with you?” Emilia asked, as Ryu silently stared at the girl, before letting go of her hand.

“I’ve lost my Soul Magic, my Determination. Without it, I’m weak. Weaker than any human should ever be, even weaker than the most unfit of humans and children.” He explained. “Roswaal’s contract said I could only stay because of my abilities to teach others about Soul Magic, and I’ve already taught everyone here. And then…” Ryu’s mind trailed to his conversation with Roswaal before they went to the capital.

_ “Roswaal. I’ve taught everyone here Soul Magic… well, except you and Puck… but you guys don’t need that kind of power if I remember correctly.” Ryu reported to Roswaal, who chuckled softly. _

_ “Yes, yes. We don’t need to learn your Magic types. I’m satisfied as is since nothing in the basic Soul arsenal interests me. And Puck doesn’t see a need in doing so.” Roswaal took a sip of his wine, before putting down the glass. “Well, while our contract says you can only stay because of teaching capabilities, you’ve proven to be a worthy ally. You can stay as long as you like…” Roswaal then glared in his direction. “As long as you pull your own weight.” _

_ “Of course, Roswaal. I will make sure to do so.” Ryu replied in a minimally respectful tone. _

“...I can’t carry my own weight anymore. So, this is goodbye.”

“Ryu, I-”

“I’ll be dropping out of the Royal Selection soon too, so you won’t have to worry about any rivals. I’ll even advocate for you and get anyone who was thinking of voting for me to shift to you.” Ryu smiled at his friend, trying to assure her that he would be fine and that she didn’t need to worry about him.

“Ryu, please, don’t go!” Emilia begged before she was stopped from getting closer to Ryu by a bunch of ice spikes jutting out of the floor, a dark aura surrounding them.

“...Goodbye, Emilia. Take care of yourself, alright?” Ryu waved at her before a bolt of black lightning fell from the sky. When the blinding flash of dark-colored light faded, Ryu was nowhere to be found. Even Teymin was gone, with no traces of where he went and of his existence being left behind.

* * *

**_RE: DETERMINED_ **

**_Act 3, Chapter 02 - Loss (損失) - END_ **

**NEXT TIME ON: RE:DETERMINED! (Next Chapter: PARADOX OF HATE)**

* * *

_ “Rem? How did you find me?” _

_ “When you let Teymin out for a walk last night, she rushed off to find me. I followed her in secret.” _

_ “...So, no one else from the Mansion knows you’re here with me, huh? You should probably get back.” _

_ Rem shook her head negative. “No way, Ryu-kun! I can’t leave you behind like this! Besides, I promised myself that if I found you, I’d support you in any way I can! If living in the Capital in secret is what you wish, then I will help you as long as you’re healthy!” _

_ “Sir Ryu?” The ex-Prince turned around to see the familiar figure of Wil, who bowed before him slightly. “Lady Crusch wishes to meet you.” _

**_“Ryu, we sealed your memories away for a reason, but we didn’t mean to hurt you! If we knew you weren’t ready we wouldn’t have given them to you!” Austin tried reasoning with the hopeless and hateful Ryu, who only glared at him._ **

_ “And pray tell, what other secrets have you and Shi been hiding from me?” _

**_“...What do you know of the Witch of Envy?”_ ** _ Ryushi eventually asked, as Ryu’s eyes widened in confusion. _


	7. Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryu goes through an emotional rollercoaster, and in the end, gets a talking to that he so desperately needed.

_**I'm back! After the chaos of Chapter 6, I'm surprised there aren't as many questions being spammed into the Reviews but oh well! Makes it easier for me to be lazy. I'm excited though! This Arc is going to easily be my favorite, because of what Ryu will go through, and the challenges ahead of him. I've even adapted Episode 18 ahead of time since I knew where Ryu's current "Self-Hate Arc" was going to end up taking us. Anyways, without further ado, I present to you all!** _

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 3, Chapter 3 - Emotions (** _ _**感情** _ _**)** _

* * *

It had been a while since Ryu's breakdown in the capital.

It had been exactly a day and a half since Ryu left Roswaal Manor, with only his limited supply of "G", his pet Wolgarm, and the clothes he had on his back. His Soul Magic had weakened considerably since he lost his Determination. Sure, he still had his darkened Justice trait, now known as **Vengeance** ; but that hardly mattered to him. It just meant he would only be useful in long-range battles… if at all.

At the moment, Ryu was roaming through the capital, with people looking over his way with pity and sympathy in their eyes. He clenched his fist in silent anger. _He didn't ask for their pity. He didn't ask for their kindness or sympathy._

And he sure as hell didn't deserve it. Ryu then paused as he felt a familiar presence close up on him. He turned to see Teymin, hiding her Wolgarm features as she was supposed to, bouncing towards him. He mildly panicked, before he saw her stop in front of him swiftly and obediently. "...Right, you know I'm too weak for a tackle right now. Good girl." Ryu smiled weakly as he reached down to pet Teymin, before looking up and noticing a familiar face smiling at him demurely. "Rem? How did you find me?" He asked in both confusion and surprise, standing up as he formed another leash of **Hate** for Teymin.

"When you let Teymin out for a walk last night, she rushed off to find me. I followed her in secret." Rem explained, as Ryu looked over at Teymin and sighed tiredly. The Wolgarm didn't show any sort of remorse for her actions, instead seeming pleased with herself. "You've tamed a very powerful and quick-paced Wolgarm, you know Ryu? I'm surprised Teymin didn't become the pack leader herself."

Ryu faintly smiled at those words, as he knelt down and continued to pet Teymin. His precious pet. "She really is something special, isn't she?" He said, before going silent momentarily. "...So, no one else from the Mansion knows you're here with me, huh? You should probably get back."

Rem shook her head negative. "No way, Ryu-kun! I can't leave you behind like this! Besides, I promised myself that if I found you, I'd support you in any way I can! If living in the Capital in secret is what you wish, then I will help you as long as you're healthy!" Rem declared as Ryu could see the determined light in her eyes. He wasn't going to make her budge on this… and he knew without his Determination to back him up, there was no point in even _trying_ to win this argument.

"Fine. Do whatever you want, Rem." Ryu relented before he picked up on another familiar presence nearing them, but it was barely noticeable.

"Sir Ryu?" The ex-Prince turned around to see the familiar figure of Wil, who bowed before him slightly. "Lady Crusch wishes to meet you."

* * *

"I'm happy to know that you accepted my invitation, you know." Ryu looked to the side to stare into the amber eyes of Crusch Karsten, a woman who was technically his rival for the throne. Or she would have been if he wasn't already planning on dropping out soon. He just needed to find the time. It was now nighttime, as he was originally looking out upon the capital from one of the windows. He walked over to Crusch's desk and sat in front of her in one of the free seats, a blank look on his face.

"Miss Karsten, can we please get to the point? Why did you call me here? You should know I have no intentions of going to run against you-"

"I know."

"And that I have lost a good chunk of my po- wait, what?" Ryu blinked, as Crusch sighed.

"I know you've lost a lot of your power from what you've seen all those weeks ago. And I also know that you're planning to leave the Royal Selection. A disappointing conclusion, but one I can accept." Crusch said to him, as she stood up. "Follow me." Ryu confusedly blinked but stood up and did as Crusch asked, following her as she led him to the balcony, where they were given a better look of the capital. "...I've heard about your power being able to be taught, even if you don't have it yourself. I'm willing to house you indefinitely for a share of that power you have."

"Why would you want to learn Soul Magic?" Ryu asked, a suspicious look in his eyes as he looked over at Crusch. "I'm not gonna just throw a power like that around to just anyone, y'know."

"I do know that, and that's why I'm willing to tell you why I'm interested in your power," Crusch admitted, getting Ryu's attention. "There is a beast terrorizing our lands… and it is known as the White Whale."

* * *

After absorbing all of the information Crusch gave him on the ancient Mabeast (which made Teymin uncomfortable to hear, as she apparently was scared of this beast), Ryu pondered over the pros and cons of teaching the people that Crusch had acquired the assistance of Soul Magic. It would likely make their revenge plan against the demon beast much easier… if not effortless. "But then again, nothing's ever effortless, even when you might think it is." Ryu sighed, lying down on the bed Crusch had provided for him. She was a generous woman, he could see that. And when he looked into her soul, he saw something strong. She was a Hybrid Soul, specifically a Hybrid Soul of Perseverance/Justice. "With Traits like those, she'd definitely be royalty material back home." Ryu chuckled weakly, but those thoughts only brought him pain as he remembered what happened to his home… and how it was his fault. How his birth was the thing that eventually drove everything to the point it was now, and how if he wasn't born, a lot of lives would have been saved. Heck, a whole universe with countless timelines would still be here.

Ryu sighed again as he laid down on his bed and closed his eyes… letting sleep overtake him so he could try to ignore reality.

* * *

When Ryu awoke in the Soulplane, he instantly found a guilty-looking Austin and Ryushi. "Oh. Hello there, you two. Since you idiots are here, care to explain what the fuck is going on?" Ryu hissed out, not happy to see either of them right now.

" _ **Ryu, we sealed your memories away for a reason, but we didn't mean to hurt you! If we knew you weren't ready we wouldn't have given them to you!"**_ Austin tried reasoning with the hopeless and hateful Ryu, who only glared at him.

"And pray tell, what other secrets have you and Shi been hiding from me?"

" **...What do you know of the Witch of Envy?"** Ryushi eventually asked as Ryu's eyes widened in confusion.

"I… not much… but what does this have to do with anything?" Ryu asked eventually, as Austin and Shi locked eyes.

" **It's time we give you back your old memories,"** Ryushi said, as the duo pointed their hands at him, with Ryu's mind then being assaulted with memories he didn't know he had.

" _The Corruption in your soul will be an issue, we should-"_

" _Fragmenting things isn't my forte, mother. I think you-"_

" _This is bad, I created more Fragments than I anticipated-"_

" _Mother, calm down, I'm sure things will be fine-"_

" _Oh, hello there! What's your name? Satella, hm? I have a son your age, I think you might like him. Ry- Flugel, come over here!"_

" _Satella? That's a cute name for a cute girl! My name's-"_

Ryu's eyes widened as he looked up at Austin and Shi, tears running down his face. "Did I… really seal the girl who loved me away?"

" _ **...Ryu, we don't know why or how Satella was sealed away. All we do know is what the legends told us. The Sage, Flugel: who was your incarnation in this world while traveling with your mom across the multiverse, sealed away the Witch of Envy after a long battle. He was assisted by a Dragon and a powerful Swordsman, and the sealing cost him a large portion of his lifeforce."**_ Austin explained, with Ryu slowly getting up and glaring up at Austin.

"Aus, I don't care how or why she was sealed. I don't care about what Flugel did, I don't care about any of that bullshit!" He snapped, vicious anger in his eyes. "I could have gone without any of this information, everything could have been just fine and dandy! I didn't ask for more problems! What the hell is wrong with y-"

" _ **YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS FOREVER, RYU!"**_

Ryushi watched the staredown between the Hate Origin and his 'brother' from afar, not wanting to be apart of this argument. Ryu's fist clenched in anger, as he then turned around to look away from Austin. "...It doesn't matter in the end, Austin. It's daytime, so good day, sir." Ryu curtly said, before fading from the Soulscape, with Austin's 'face' leaking glowing white 'tears'.

* * *

"You know, this White Whale of yours sounds very similar to the Scourge that haunted my homeland." Ryu casually brought up mid-training, using a shield made of **Hate** to block hits from Crusch as she trained to access her **Perseverance** magic's special ability. He knew the power of **Hate** outclassed all Traits, meaning he was safe from taking too much damage using this shield, and even if she somehow managed to cut through the shield, he could regenerate using **Hate**.

Of course, if he regenerated using **Hate** , he would lose some of **Hate** 's power… good thing he hated himself. And in hating himself, he created more **Hate** to use. An infinite cycle… the only good thing he had going for him was **Hate** 's versatility.

Crusch sliced at his shield as Ryu took a step back, a faint purple trail following her lion king sword. She was getting somewhere, he could see that at least. Crusch then looked at him curiously. "In what way, exactly? Are you saying your homeland had a beast as dangerous as the White Whale?"

"From what you've told me about the White Whale, no. It's not as dangerous as the White Whale." Ryu's eyes narrowed, as Crusch picked up the pace with her strikes. Her training would only stop once he could see a visible scratch on his sword, then he would 'graduate' her and move on to the others. She had already passed the Justice exam, with flying colors in fact, as he was able to summon hundreds of Justice projectiles.

Crusch's eyes narrowed, as she struck at Ryu's shield again. A purple gleam appearing on her sword's blade, she jumped back. "Oh? Then what made that beast of yours so similar to the White Whale?"

Just as Crusch's sword clashed against Ryu's shield, Ryu's eyes lost their light. "...It's not as dangerous. It's far more dangerous. That beast has existed for thousands of years. For as long as people could remember living on the Lost Isles, they remembered the Brown Leviathan. That beast has been terrorizing the Lost Isles for as long as the Empire had existed, killing any and all heroes-to-be that tried to challenge it, including powerful Kings. My ancestors… my Aunt Rin, one of the strongest Mages I know, was forced to retire because of that beast." Ryu gritted his teeth, with a darkness entering his eyes. Hatred. Hatred for the beast that had brought his people so much pain. "My father was among one of many that accompanied Aunt Rin to challenge that beast… and they still failed."

"Your father? You mean the man who was able to split an island from its mainland with one strike?" Crusch's eyes widened, as Ryu brought his shield back once he noticed a scratch on his shield.

"Yep… on another note, you pass your Perseverance exam, Miss Crusch," Ryu said, absorbing the shield into his soul as he sighed. "I'm retiring for the night. I'm exhausted." Ryu then excused himself, as he returned to his room to rest. After a short period of time, Ryu got up as he felt somewhat bored. He left his room, only to notice Crusch walk over to him. He was mildly surprised by her outfit, as she looked different without her normal suit. He would normally have even thought of her as attractive if it wasn't for the Hate in his soul…

Ah, screw it, she was attractive, who was he kidding?

"Ryu, would you mind joining me for a bit?" Crusch asked, a faint smile on her face. Ryu's mind was still processing things, sadly, so he wasn't able to answer her immediately. Crusch seemed to understand why almost immediately. "Oh, of course. This is the first time you've seen me out of my business attire. The breeze is pleasantly cool tonight. Perfect conditions for sharing a drink as we gaze out upon the night sky."

* * *

Ryu blankly watched as Crusch poured herself a glass of whiskey. Ryu was about to tell her he wasn't the type to drink, but… He bit his lip, as he thought about his new memories. Apparently, he did do a bit of drinking back in the day with his mother, though it was mostly wine tasting and the like. He nodded when Crusch looked at him expectantly, and she then poured him a glass as well, sliding it over. "I had a feeling you were the type to enjoy a nice glass of alcohol every now and then," Crusch said, as Ryu weakly smiled. He then raised his glass for a toast, as they clinked their glasses, and the boy then sipped from the glass carefully. Even with his current mood, now that he had his memories back, he had his normal graceful nature back as well. Trained to be a prince since day one, and this was one part of many.

"I personally enjoy certain wines, actually. Back home, we had a special type of wine that was hard to acquire, but I did love it when my family came back home with it. The grapes used to make it were extremely rare since only one family was able to grow it the way they did." Ryu explained, a small smile on his face. "Colorless Magic came in many forms, which includes family-based magic that goes from father to son or mother to daughter. Heck, some people just had magic that only they had, and they couldn't pass down." Good examples of those types of magics were his Black Lightning and his Ice Magic respectively.

"Your homeland's magic system is very interesting and vastly different to the ones we're familiar with here." Crusch smiled at him after she took another sip from her glass. "I'm extremely grateful that you were willing to teach me and my men how to use Soul Magic. I will make sure to give you credit in the event we manage to intercept and conquer the White Whale."

Ryu shook his head. "That's not necessary, Miss Crusch-"

"Please," She interrupted instantly, a calm look on her face. "Just call me Crusch."

Ryu was briefly startled but then smiled as he nodded. "Right. Regardless, I'm not seeking fame or anything like that, Crusch. I just want to help people. At the moment, I have no strength. None I can use to do anything myself. But if I can help people defeat a monster like the White Whale, then I say I've spent my time wisely."

"And I say your selflessness is, at the moment, your greatest strength." Crusch's eyes shone faintly under the light of the candle in front of them. "I truly pray that your Determination comes back soon, Ryu. The world needs more men like you."

"Men like me?" Ryu questioned, a curious eyebrow raised.

"Unwilling to compromise. Calm and kind, but ready to take action and fight when it counts. I've seen only a fraction of your memories and experiences, but from what I've seen, you were willing to save an entire species of people that you didn't even know."

Ryu looked away. "It was only because of Frisk…"

"But are you saying that if this Frisk wasn't there, you wouldn't have done that on your own? That you wouldn't have walked through flames to pacify a kind old, brokenhearted woman? That you wouldn't have befriended a lonely soul? That you wouldn't have managed to calm the most tenacious woman I've ever seen?" Crusch leaned forward, an expecting look in her eyes. "Are you saying you aren't truly who you are today? That your victories were flukes?"

"...Yes."

"Lying won't get you anywhere in life, Ryu," Crusch said, grabbing Ryu's attention as he looked up at her in shock. The woman's once warm amber eyes had hardened, as she glared at him. "Not when I can sense your lies. Besides. Your eyes flashed a dull blue, and if I remember correctly, that only happens when you lie."

Ryu laughed weakly, a tired smile coming to his face. "Huh. Never thought the Law of Integrity magic would end up going against me like this. Oh well, guess you caught me."

"I knew your true self was that selfless man who put his life on the line and was willing to sacrifice himself for others." Crusch hummed before she put her glass down. "I am glad to have you on my side regardless, even if it is for the time being. Having you as an enemy would be disadvantageous, especially if you manage to get your Determination back. I pity those who get on your bad side, or become your enemies."

"Yeah… manage to get my Determination back…" Ryu glanced at his glass, staring into the semi-reflective drink within.

"Stay positive, Ryu. I'm sure you will find yourself a source of strength soon." Crusch said before she swiftly changed the topic. "On another note, have you heard about the rumors?"

"Rumors? What do you mean by that?" Ryu's black and gold eyes looked up staring into Crusch's amber eyes.

"Rumor has it that you've become a popular candidate, a lot of people really liked the background of your story. Not to mention your already royal lineage." Crusch smirked ever so slightly. "I can't imagine how disappointed would they be if they heard that you're planning to drop out?"

"Are you trying to guilt-trip me? Seriously?" Ryu asked incredulously, slightly sweatdropping as Crusch half-shrugged and giggled slightly. Wait, Crusch doesn't giggle, this didn't make sense-

"I'm just telling you the truth. I will admit though, this has been fun." Crusch's normal smile returned, as did the warmth in her eyes. "A good distraction from all this work and stress about trying to find the White Whale. As well as all the proposals I've been receiving every day since word of the Royal Selection spread. Again, I'm surprised you've managed to evade proposals of your own from nobles and their daughters."

"Guess I'm just lucky." Ryu shrugged, being genuinely out of the loop and not knowing how he evaded all that if all the other Candidates had to deal with proposals.

"Lucky indeed." Crusch managed to say, before the cry of a wild Felix cut in.

"What are nya doing out here with Miss Crusch, Ryu?!" Felix demanded, before pointing his hand at Crusch accusingly. "And Miss Crusch, why are you dressed so vulnerably?"

"Is it strange?" Crusch asked casually, as she shifted her gaze to face Felix. "I mean, it's no different from when I dine with you."

"Well yes, I know, that's exactly the problem!" Felix continued his mini-tirade, as Ryu just blankly watched the feminine man rant. "Men are nyothing but wolves, miss!"

"Don't make assumptions on what I am, Felix." Ryu cut in instantaneously, looking at Felix with an emotionless expression. "I have no intentions on making any moves on Crusch here, or anyone for that matter."

_It was best he stayed away from making close bonds. That way, if people did get hurt, he didn't feel as awful for it. And the people he_ _ **did**_ _care about should stay away so they didn't get hurt._

"Don't cast your gaze downwards, Ryu," Crusch said, grabbing the ex-Prince's attention as he looked at the… technically Princess. "When your eyes are clouded by hate, your soul darkens. Your future is closed off from you, and you lose sight of your reasons to live. If you wish to regain your Determination, then you must raise your head, face forward, and reach out to the future you want to see. It is not in my preferred stance to see you as an insignificant rival."

Ryu stared at Crusch for a moment, before a small sliver of his former strength returned to him and he nodded firmly.

* * *

Ryu smirked as he clashed with Wilhelm, working on building up his strength. His Determination may have been lost to him, but he still had his **Hate** to rely on. Plus, he should always think of training, even if right now he was severely weakened. What Ryu was also noticing was how his instincts were improving quickly, with him able to dodge and parry Wilhelm's attacks more easily with time. Right now they were using wooden swords, and Wilhelm wasn't using his own magic, sure. But Ryu was seeing advancement in his own strength, and that's what mattered.

"Ryu!" The teen shifted his gaze to the side, as he saw Rem with a severe expression on her face. "We need to talk about something!"

* * *

"Has Rem told you what's been going on?" Crusch asked Ryu once he had joined up with her, Felix, and Rem back in the main room. Ryu looked at Rem expectantly, as she then spoke up.

"The feeling I sensed was… something like a presence through the sense that I share with my sister." Rem explained. "I wish she could have used her Clairvoyance to get a clearer picture, but that's all I have."

"So, you must have picked up a nasty sort of synesthesia from her I take it?" Felix commented, as Crusch then picked up the conversation from there.

"We aren't sure of the details yet, but it's from the Mathers Domain, which you know as Margrave Roswaal's territory," Crusch said. "It seems some troubling movement have been seen from the vicinity of his mansion. Parts of the domain are already on high alert as we speak."

"This is concerning news…" Ryu's expression shifted to one of mild stress, his eyes glowing faintly as he leaned his head on his fist. "And what are the chances this is because of prejudice against Miss Emilia for her heritage?"

"Quite high, I have to say," Crusch confirmed his worst fears as Ryu grit his teeth inwardly. The moment he left Emilia, this happened? It couldn't be a coincidence… people were waiting until he left the premises to attack Emilia… and now because he had lost a good chunk of his strength with his Determination, he was a sitting duck. He refused to let his selfishness be what got his friend hurt or killed, however.

"...Crusch, I've decided." Ryu began, catching the attention of everyone in the room. "I'm going back to the Mathers Domain to help Emilia."

"You do recognize that the moment you step back onto Roswaal's territory, you will be essentially seen as a rival again," Crusch spoke up, as Ryu nodded with a vaguely determined look on his face. Crusch sighed, and then smiled weakly. "I suppose I should be happy that you're slowly building your confidence back up."

"Crusch, I won't forget the kindness you've shown me during my stay," Ryu said as he stood up and offered his hand for Crusch to shake, which she did as she stood up. "When you guys finally find that Whale, make sure to reach out to me. I'll be more than happy to help you guys out."

"You've already done enough for us, Ryu." Crusch smiled, as Ryu shook his head negative.

"No, Crusch. When it comes to beasts that threaten the safety of the people… I'll never be able to do enough until it's dead."

* * *

Ryu's soul was clouded by anger and hate as he sat in the Ground Dragon-pulled carriage that Crusch had provided them, silently thinking the entire ride and only looking up once he felt the carriage stop. He noticed the Ground Dragon's heavy panting and foaming mouth, causing him to sigh. "Guess it's too tired to go, huh?" Teymin looked at him with concern in her eyes as she nuzzled his hand, causing him to smile weakly.

A while later, Ryu was tossing and turning in his sleep with Teymin resting on the floor next to him. "..." Ryu looked up at the ceiling blankly. "I can't sleep…" He groaned, before he heard some knocking. "Come in!" He said, before turning on the lamp next to him as Rem walked into his room.

"I can't sleep, so, I hoped we could talk." Rem explained, as Ryu sat up and patted the space on the bed next to him.

"You too, huh?" He sighed heavily, as Rem sat next to him. He looked at her expression, able to pick up on her emotions. "You're worried, aren't you?" He asked, as Rem looked downward. Ryu smiled as he took Rem's hand into his own. "Hey, it'll be fine. We'll find a way through this together, I'm sure of it!"

Rem looked at him, a big smile slowly coming to her face as he could sense her emotions slowly pick up. "Yes! I put my faith in you, Ryu-kun!" She declared, causing Ryu to feel somewhat… embarrassed, to say the least. To hear a girl like Rem say that… it just made him feel _something_.

He then felt her hug his back, causing his eyes to widen. "Uh, Rem? What are you-" He was cut off from saying anything further as he felt the familiar feeling of **Kindness** Magic flooding into his soul, soothing him and repairing damage he didn't even know he had. In fact, it was so soothing, he was starting to feel… sorta… tired… Ryu's head dipped forward as he nodded off, with Rem smiling sadly.

"Ryu… I hope that when I come back… I will be able to help you regain your Determination." Rem softly said, a loving look in her eyes that only the still awake Austin and Shi could see. "Now, don't go anywhere, okay Ryu?"

* * *

When Ryu woke up, he felt something was off. He shifted his gaze to Teymin, as he instantly formed a leash of **Hate** for her and then rushed out of his rented room to open the door to Rem's. "Rem!" He called out, opening the door to her room. "It's time to… wake… up…?" He stared into the empty, absurdly clean room as his eyes widened and he rushed downstairs.

"Well now! Good morning, Lord Ryu!" The man currently heading the inn greeted him before Ryu slammed his hands on the table in front of him.

"Where's Rem? Where's the girl that came here with me?" Ryu demanded, his mind overshadowed by panic and worry.

"The lady that came with you signed out last night! Here are the things she left you!" The man said as he handed Ryu a brown bag and a note that came with it. The note only increased Ryu's panic as he read it. He rushed out of the inn as he looked around for their Dragon Carriage or anything to suggest Rem would still be around… but found nothing.

He eventually entered a bar from the suggestions of some civilians in the city, finding a man named Otto Suwen who could supposedly take him to Roswaal Manor. He slammed his bag of Gold onto the bar next to the sleeping man, waking him instantaneously as he stared down at him blankly. "Are you Otto Suwen?" He asked, getting a nod from him. "Get me to Roswaal Manor and I can make you rich."

Mere minutes later Ryu found himself sitting in Otto's carriage, surrounded by pots of oil. Rem's letter in hand, with his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness of the carriage. "Why Rem… why'd you leave…? Didn't you say that you'd stay with me and support me?" Ryu grit his teeth in frustration, feeling betrayed and confused. Why did she leave him behind? Did she really think that lowly of him? From beside him, Teymin looked up and whined slightly in concern for her master.

"I think I've been introduced to a real troublemaker…" Otto fretted over his own health and sanity in the near future, as he knew that Ryu was a Royal Selection Candidate and a beacon for trouble according to his now publicly spoken-of memories.

Ryu was later startled awake from the small nap he was taking when the Ground Dragon pulling Otto's carriage stopped abruptly, forcing him to fall over and hit his head. Rubbing his sore forehead, Ryu looked up at Otto. "Hey, what gives?"

"I'm very sorry, Ryu- I mean, Lord Ryu, but can we please turn back now?" Otto pleaded, a desperate look on his face. "My Ground Dragon is frightened. It instinctively knows this place is too dangerous to approach."

Ryu sighed before sniffing the air and pausing. They were close to Arlam, he could tell that much at least. "Right. I thank you for getting me this far, then." He then got up and formed another **Hate** leash for Teymin, jumping out of the carriage and tossing Otto his bag of Gold. "That bag contains roughly the equivalent of 400 holy gold coins. Use it to better your life, alright Otto?"

"L-Lord Ryu, I'm honored that you would show this much generosity for someone you just met, but please reconsider! Let's just get you back to the capital, it's much safer there!" Otto begged, only for Ryu to shake his head.

"Nah. I need to do this. I have things to do. See you around!" Ryu waved before running off with Teymin, who eventually stopped and growled angrily. "Teymin? What is it, girl?" Ryu asked the Wolgarm, who had now shed her normal dog-looking disguise and showed her true self. She had grown in size and power due to the **Hate** pellets he had been feeding her too, now standing at his chest. Ryu looked around, realizing something was off, only to find himself face-to-face with a hooded figure.

Ryu and Teymin both instinctually took a step back, only to find themselves surrounded by Witch Cultists. Ryu was ready for battle, as he summoned a **Hate Arm** , only for the Witch Cultists to bow to him. They then ran off, leaving a confused Ryu and Teymin behind. The Wolgarm was thoroughly spooked, as she stayed in her True Form for the rest of the journey to Arlam.

By the time Ryu arrived at Arlam Village, all he could smell was death. There was no life in the area, only bodies, and remnants of soul matter. He could only feel despair as he searched for anything, _anything_ to reassure him that the people of Arlam weren't all killed. But it was all for naught as he only found more bodies everywhere he looked. "No… Rem… why did you leave without me?" Maybe he could have managed to prevent this.

But now… he was lost. He had no Determination, no feasible way to reset. This would be the horrible reality he had to live in for the rest of his life. Then, his eyes widened. _Rem, what happened to her? What happened to Roswaal Manor?_ He instantly ran off, with Teymin following hot on his heels. She even increased her size so Ryu could jump on and ride her like a Ground Dragon, only for Ryu to stop once he had reached the manor. He could smell the mana drain in the air. He jumped off of Teymin's back, noticing the bloodstained morningstar embedded in the floor. He shifted his gaze to the right, as further despair and hate pricked at his soul.

" _Please wait for me to return. When this is all taken care of, I shall return for you. Please, take care of yourself. And please… I beg for you to wait for my return. Please. Yours truly, Rem."_

Ryu fell to his knees as he stared at the deceased form of Rem, her skull pierced by one of the many knives he had seen on his way back to the manor. "Liar…" Ryu croaked out, tears building up in his eyes. "Rem, you liar…" **Hate** crept up Ryu's eyes, as he then screamed to the heavens, black energy exploding off of him. Ryu's soul shattered instantly from the despair he felt, his heart unable to keep him alive.

_**Conditions Met** _

_**Initiating Contract: World End** _

The darkness that had left Ryu's body coalesced, returning and sticking to his form as Austin took over for his now-deceased host. He then rose to the sky, his amorphous body increasing in size with a horrifying grin on his face. His skin was partially melted by the primordial **Hate** attached to Ryu's deceased, but still mortal form. Glowing dark gold patches were attached to his- no, _its_ skin as every living being looked up to see a mass of darkness smiling down upon them. Only for it to scream, as darkness shot off its form like spears and pierced countless people's souls, killing them instantly. All except one, of course. All except Reinhard van Astrea, who was only spared because of Od Laguna.

... _But not for long._

* * *

"Hey! You alright there?" Ryu heard as he opened his eyes. He looked at his hands, disbelieving of what he was seeing. What he was hearing. Feeling. Smelling. Kadomon sat on a chair in front of him. _He was alive. He was alive, but how? He didn't have his Determination, and he surely didn't have enough power to use something like_ _ **But it Refused**_ _. Heck,_ _ **BiR**_ _didn't even work that way!_

"Ryu-kun?" The ex-Prince looked to the side with disbelieving eyes, as Rem stared at him blankly. Relief washed over him instantly, as he fell to his knees. Rem was alive. Rem was alive, and he could make things better now. He didn't know how he did this, how he had gone back, but this was a blessing in disguise.

He just needed to kill every single one of those robed figures. They were at fault for killing Rem and his friends in Arlam. He hated them, he hated them all. Ryu found himself being helped up by Rem and Kadomon, where he later looked up at the sky with his black and gold eyes, hatred in them.

Ryu would get his revenge on those Cultists one way or another. He would punish them for their sins. Karma would finally catch up to them. And he was taking back what was his afterward. His Corruption Fragments.

_What the Cult knew as the Authorities._

* * *

_Something was wrong with Ryu._ That was the first thought that entered Rem's mind as she returned to Crusch's mansion with her beloved hero.

The miasma of Hate had only increased in potency by the day, not to mention the Witch's Scent. It was overwhelming, but she managed to ignore it because she knew Ryu was not affiliated with the Cult. She had already heard of his story, both the one he called his 'Undertale', and his traumatic past. The past that had stolen her hero's strength.

Rem knew she could trust Ryu because of his eyes, she could tell instantly if he tried to lie. And now she was holding his hand, she knew she could keep an eye on and protect her hero. If her hero couldn't protect himself, then she would become an extension of him, she would be his sword and shield. He mattered so much to her, and he was her reason to die.

"Thank you for everything, Lady Crusch." Rem bowed as Ryu lingered around, waiting for their opportunity to leave. He said he wanted to return to Arlam Village, and so Rem was ready to leave to support his decision. "In my master's stead, I thank you for your kindness during our stay."

"I must thank you and Ryu, Rem. You both helped us greatly, and I will make sure that people know that you assisted in the efforts that could one day help us rid of one of the Great Mabeasts." Crusch replied, respect in her tone. She nodded over in Ryu's direction, as he looked over and did the same. A silent showing of respect and kindness between two people who would soon be rivals on opposite sides. "By the way, Rem. Pass this along to Miss Emilia for me. Let us compete in a manner that will bring neither of us shame."

"Of course." Rem obliged as she bowed her head. Crusch smiled, before redirecting her attention to Ryu again.

"I genuinely hope you find your Determination again, Ryu. It would be a shame to let someone with that kind of motivation and strength go to waste." Crusch said, as Ryu eventually nodded.

Rem also hoped her hero found his Determination soon.

* * *

Ryu had slept again half-way through the journey. He had been finding himself more and more exhausted the more he used **Hate** without Determination to balance it out. Normally, anyone could handle **Hate** if they managed their usage properly and had a Trait to balance it. But Ryu wasn't managing it much, and his soul was a Dual-Traited one, meaning he needed both traits to handle **Hate**.

He was startled awake from his dreams as the carriage he was riding on with Rem instantly fell over and crashed, due to the Ground Dragon pulling it being beheaded. He looked up weakly, finding himself surrounded by Witch Cultists. He tried to get up but found his legs were broken from the fall due to his weakened body. His **Hate** was already working on healing him, but not quickly enough. Two hooded figures, Witch Cultists, walked over to him and reached out… only for one of them to be immediately mauled by an angry True Form Teymin and another's head being blown off by a morningstar. "Don't you dare touch him!" Rem growled out once she had brought back her signature weapon. The Cultists all threw their knives at her, only for Rem to kick up one of the carriage's wheels, blocking the knife barrage. She then kicked the wheel at one of the cultists, knocking them dead, along with slamming another aside with her morningstar.

The last tried to run but was stopped as Teymin stopped them by jumping onto them and biting into their skull. Both Teymin and Rem found themselves injured, however, when the Witch Cultists threw knives at their unprotected backs. "Witch Cultists…!" Rem growled out, turning to face the cultists, one of which threw a fire spell at her. " **Crescent Shield**!" Rem called out, a green crescent-shaped barrier of Kindness magic blocking the incoming spell from hitting her or Teymin, The girl then noticed one of the Cultists running off with Ryu, her eyes widening. They had stolen her hero in the confusion, and he was unable to fight back because of his soul's damage! She reached over to grab her morningstar, fury visible on her face. "You bastards… You stole my sister's horn… and with it, my reason to live, but that's not enough? So now you've come here to steal my reason to die?" Teymin, right beside her, tapped into the power within the **Hate Pellets** she had been consuming to increase her strength, size, and powerset dramatically; just in time for them to both begin their counterattack for the sake of saving Ryu.

* * *

Ryu… lost track of where he was in the midst of all the confusion. He had managed to kill a Cultist or two, but that had drained him quickly as his **Hate** was busy healing his legs and arms, while his only usable trait; Vengeance, being one he didn't have training with. Because no one knew how to use the Dark Traits.

He opened his eyes to find a disturbing face staring right at him, a wide-eyed man with green hair wearing the clothing of the Witch's Cult. "I see…" The man began. "This is very interesting. Your power… are you Pride?"

Ryu coughed weakly, his throat dry. He found it hard to swallow to try and moisten his throat but decided to try and answer this man's questions. "I… I'm not Pride, I'm afraid." He replied, only for the man to seem overjoyed.

"Ah, he speaks, he speaks! I was so worried that you would try to ignore me for a second there! Ah, what joy! To be able to spark up a conversation with someone who is so _Loved_!" The man squealed in happiness, before straightening up. "Ah, right! I forgot to introduce myself!" The man walked over to the rest of the Witch Cultists, who were all kneeled before him, as he then turned to face Ryu. "I am a Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult! Archbishop of Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti, at your service! Yes!" Petelgeuese grinned up at him, making Ryu feel unnerved.

He tried to move a hand up but found himself chained up. "Ah, yes! That's for your own safety, as well as ours! It would be a shame to let someone as _Loved_ as you die when you are so _ignorant_ of her love! Ignorant, ignorant, ignorant! Oh, how my brain trembles!" Petelgeuse then looked around. "Now, what brought him here?" He asked the Cultists, one of which appeared out of the floor.

"Dragon carriage." The Witch Cultist said as Petelgeuse nodded before going on a mini-rant.

"A dragon carriage, you say?" Petelgeuse then began walking around in circles. "Ah, aren't Ground Dragons great? They obey diligently, they work diligently, and play their role as a species diligently!" Petelgeuse bent backward in an inhuman manner, only increasing Ryu's levels of disturbance.

"Killed." The Witch Cultist from before said as Petelgeuse paused.

"Of course. Your diligence brought the ground dragon, diligence itself, to the ground! Ah, my brain trembles, trembles, trembles!" Petelgeuse bent backward again, before turning his attention to Ryu momentarily. "But a dead ground dragon is the very definition of sloth, wouldn't you say?" Petelgeuse smiled at him, before refocusing on his cultists. "Clean up the area at once. With the day of the Ordeal upon us, we mustn't allow our existence to be discovered." He then looked over at the Witch Cultist that Ryu now internally called 'the Informant'. "And his friend?"

"Unknown." The Informant replied, their voice warped by the hood they wore. Petelgeuse nodded.

"It is unknown if the girl is dead or alive? Unknown, you say?" Petelgeuse grew closer to the Informant. "You are truly slothful, I say." He then slammed the Informant into the floor before pulling them back to face-level and shaking them. "With the upcoming Ordeal, you let a potential problem run free!" Petelgeuse then began to pummel the informant. "Is this the sincerity you show in return for our Gospel?" He then dropped them to the floor, blood soaking through their hood as he raised his hands. "Ah, this is sloth. Sloth, sloth, so very sloth!" He then began to dig his nails into his skin and tugged at it unnaturally. "Please forgive us the sloth that has led us to betray your goodwill! Love! We must repay love with love!"

Two Witch Cultists in the back looked at each other, wondering if this was the best choice for a job, when their boss was clearly starting to really lose it. "Bring the girl here," Petelgeuse commanded. "If she lives, kill her! If not, then bring me her head! Love! We must repay love with love!" All the Cultists then melted into the floor and disappeared, as Petelgeuse then returned his attention to Ryu again. "As for you! What do I do with you, you, you?" Petelguese moved around him as if dancing a little mad jig, before grabbing Ryu by the hair. "Now, would you mind telling me why you are so loved? And why you have the scent of a Sage? No, no! I will not have any pretenders trying to be-"

"Guese, I demand you to stop." Ryu glared up at the insane man, who did in fact stop… though mostly out of shock.

"A name! A name, a name, a name! A name I do not use! How peculiar, how peculiar, how peculiar! Who are you really?" Petelguese tilted his head to the side at an unnatural angle, but before Ryu could say anything, they were interrupted by a Witch Cultist's body being knocked into the room. The rest of the Cultists returned by coming out of the floor, as Ryu looked up to see a bloodied and angered Rem walk into the room, Teymin next to her with a maddened look on the Mabeast's face.

"I found you!" Rem growled out. "Let Ryu-kun go!" Petelguese only laughed madly at her words, before beginning to move rapidly and unnaturally again as he posed.

"How wonderful, this is! A girl, a lone girl with a beast by her side, is badly injured! But still, she presses on!" Petelguese laughed in mad joy, as Rem only grew more enraged.

"Enough of your nonsense, witch worshipper! To carry out your insubordinate acts, in Roswaal-sama's domain without permission, you are fools! To kidnap a King's Candidate, you are fools!" Rem took a step forward, her morningstar dragging along the floor with her. "In my absent master's stead, I, Rem, shall carry out your death penalty!"

"In that battered state of yours?" Petelguese asked in a doubtful tone in his normal insanity-laden voice, before pointing at Ryu as he grabbed him by the head again. "Let's be honest, you only came here for the boy! You should avoid saying things that merely sound attractive."

"Don't touch him…" Rem whispered. Petelguese looked at her, putting a hand up to his ear.

"Eh? What was that?" Petelgeuse asked, confusion in his voice.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Rem roared in rage, as she and Teymin began their attack, with the girl turning two cultists into a bloody mist. Teymin began to activate the curses she had placed on all those she had bit, dropping them dead while continuing to attack, except for Ryu's old curse, as she was careful to not harm her master in any way.

"Oh! The rageful bellow of yours was just breathtaking!" Petelgeuse cheered, as he tossed Ryu to the side. "Why does a devout believer of love, such as yourself, waste your time on this weak and frail boy?"

"You know nothing about Ryu-kun!" Rem hissed in fury, stabbing through a cultist and pointing her hand at two more through the corpse. "El Huma!" She shot a beacon of frozen blood at them, piercing and killing them instantly, as Petelguese continued to tremble.

"How magnificent… that was truly magnificent!" Petelgeuse continued to praise the bloodshed that Rem and Teymin were spreading. "My brain… trembles."

As if grabbed by invisible forces, Rem began to levitate in the air, hanging as if nooses were holding her from her arms and neck. Teymin was likewise, as she began to float. Ryu hesitated to look up, before utter terror, sadness, and hatred settled into his heart. "I present the Authority of Sloth," Petelgeuse said, pointing his hand at Rem's hanging body. "The Unseen Hand." He then smiled at Ryu, making shivers run down the diminished and depowered boy's spine. "Look. You must witness. Before you is the result of your actions. Or more precisely… your inaction. Your sloth. And now, because of you, this girl is dead! You killed her!"

…

Was he right? His weakness… his inaction… had killed Rem?

He hated this. He hated himself. He hated everything. Darkness crept up his eyes, as he hatefully glared up at Petelgeuse. "Stop it…"

But Petelgeuse did not stop. He snapped Teymin's neck and continued to torture Rem's body, twisting and mangling her as he taunted him, mocking Rem as he 'screamed' in pain. This only brought further anger and hate as Ryu began to tug at his chains, bringing pain to his frail body. Pain that he was ignoring through sheer rage and hate. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you all! You fucking psychopaths! You won't get away with this!" He roared in fury, as hate continued to overtake him, even managing to slowly etch its way over his soul and corrupt him further. Even managing to slowly overtake whatever level of pure **Justice** that was left within him.

"Ah, such anger! Such energy! Such drive! Your chains are bringing your frail and weak body pain, you wish to free yourself to save the girl and your pet! Such diligence!" Petelguese then turned around, a frown on his face. "I must say though… this is quite the messy place. Oh well! I'll just leave it!" He then clapped, as the Cultists surrounded him. "Right, men! Back to your assigned duties. Rendezvous with the other fingers! The Ordeal is soon upon us!" The Cultists nodded and faded into the floor, as Petelguese turned to Ryu's raging form again. "As for you… if you are truly as _Loved_ as I think you are, you'll find yourself free soon enough!"

"Damn you! Damn you Geuse!" Ryu growled out, the blackness of **Hate** creeping up his eyes. Petelgeuse only laughed as he walked away, only pausing as he looked over at Rem and Teymin's floating bodies.

"Oh, right. You are both believers of true love. Yes, you sacrificed yourselves for love, defying your own fate." He then looked directly at Rem's body. "But you fell before your love could reach him, and now it has nowhere to go." He dropped the bodies, as he grinned widely. Teymin whimpered, barely alive despite all the odds, as she hit the floor. "You are truly slothful!" Petelguese's laughs echoed throughout the cave, even after he was long gone, as Ryu was enveloped by rage.

* * *

Ryu had long-lost his rage as his voice had tired out, while he silently banged his fists against the floor. He continued to try and free himself from his prison, tugging against the chins. He didn't care if he lost his arms in the process, **Hate** could get him new arms after he regenerated. He then looked up once he heard shuffling, his eyes landing on a heartbreaking sight. Rem, mangled and weak, crawling over to him against the floor. "Rem…" Ryu's eyes widened, tears forming, as he forced his body to form a **Hate Arm** , weakening him further but allowing him to grab the girl and drag her over to him. He leaned back against the stone wall as he held her weak and limp body, holding her close. "Rem, it'll be fine! I'll find a way to fix this, I promise! Just stay alive!" He begged her, as he noticed her lips trembling.

" _Hu...ma…_ " Rem managed to say, as the spell caused his chains to break, with Ryu wincing as small shards cut into his arms. He then held her closer as he turned her to look at him.

"Rem… don't do that… don't waste your energy, I could have found a way out on my own…" Ryu weakly said, tears falling from his eyes.

"Ryu… live…" The girl whimpered, as Ryu shook his head in denial.

"Rem, don't leave me!" He begged, trying to figure out a way to heal her, but was stopped as she grabbed his hand.

"Live… for me…" She then smiled at him, with her words only bringing more pain to Ryu's heart. "Love… you…" Her hand then fell from his grasp, as her eyes finally lost their light.

Ryu shivered in anger and sadness as he held Rem's body close to him and slowly stood up. "..." He looked at the deceased girl's body, as he then nodded. He used his Mana to shift the earth next to him as he made a makeshift grave for Teymin, his loyal pet and friend. "...Rest, girl. You deserve it." He whispered to the grave, before walking out of the cave and sensing a temperature shift in the atmosphere. It was growing colder.

His eyes narrowed as he walked off, following the source of the shift, eventually returning to Arlam Village as he found the snow-covered corpses of the people of Arlam. Rage further set into him… but so did exhaustion. He was too tired to do anything right now, at least mentally. He held Rem's body close to him, planning to bury her on the grounds of Roswaal Manor, as he continued to be unaffected by the cold. He was always unaffected by the cold. No matter how cold it got.

He returned to Roswaal Manor's grounds, finding it to be the origin of the cold, as the blizzard around him picked up. He looked to the side, seeing dead bodies of Witch Cultists surrounding Ram's own body as tears came to his eyes and froze under the cold. "Petelgeuse…!" He ground out, as the sight of the dead bodies of his friends, and especially the stubborn girl he had grown to have a crush on, only brought him further anguish. From the insides of Roswaal Manor, a large figure burst open and stared at him with its yellow eyes… before taking steps forward once it saw he wasn't freezing. Ryu's eyes widened as he recognized the figure as Puck. "...P-Puck?"

"Ryu. Do you have any idea of the pain your leaving brought Lia?" Puck's voice, now more mystical and echo-like, cut into him with his harsh words. "You were the only friend of hers to treat her like a normal person. She missed you every single day."

"...I know… I just didn't want to be a burden to her…" Ryu replied to the large beast, who sighed, a puff of cold air leaving his mouth.

"You don't understand, do you, _oi_ (Nephew)?" Puck said, his tone exasperated. "You would never have been a burden in our eyes. Rem, Ram, Emilia, even me. We would have supported you without question, even without your power. We're your friends."

" _Oi_?" Ryu's eyes widened. "You think of me-"

"While I'm not going to do anything like destroying the world if you die, you are important to Lia, and I have seen the truth of your life. I wish to be a bastion of support for you, Ryu. The remaining specks of purity and kindness in you, I wish to protect and nourish." Puck admitted. "I see you as the nephew I've never had." He then rested his head on his paws as he looked into Ryu's eyes. "And I am willing to let you go because of that. Tell me where you wish to move, and I will leave a portion of that land alive for your sake."

"...No." Ryu shook his head, startling Puck slightly, as he walked around, burying both Rem and Ram next to each other in the ground. "To live in a world without my friends… is a life I don't want. I'd rather die, Puck. But…"

He felt it in the last timeline, the buildup of hate and despair exploding outwards, and just before he died, he felt something take over. **Hate**. Austin. He reached out, his soul forming in his hands. "Take my life and strength, my Hate as well, and use it to avenge Emilia. Promise me you'll kill the Witch's Cult for me… Uncle Puck."

Puck stared at the object before nodding as he accepted. "Of course, _oi_. Your last wish will be brought to reality. I will exterminate the Witch's Cult, personally." Ryu smiled at that, before giving Puck his soul, and watching with a smile as the Beast of The End grew in size and power, the blizzard picking up in intensity. And then everything went dark.

* * *

"Hey! You alright there?" Ryu opened his eyes, as he found himself face to face with Kadomon again. "You spaced out for a second, Sir Ryu." He looked to the side, seeing Rem next to him with a basket of appas in her hands.

"Ryu-kun… are you alrig-" Rem yelped as Ryu grabbed her hands after stealing the basket away from her, as he then walked off with her after paying Kadomon for the appas. "Ryu-kun, can I ask you something?" Ryu looked at her and nodded after a moment. "Well, I may be mistaken, but… The smell of **Hate** has recently amplified quite a bit since last night… not to mention the other unpleasant smell." Ryu's expression darkened slightly at those words.

"Unpleasant smell, hm?" He muttered under his breath before he smiled at Rem kindly. "Right, well, if it makes you feel any better Rem; you can just keep an eye on me and hold my hand to make sure you feel safe!" Rem smiled after a second and nodded, as she sped up her pace to walk side-by-side with him. In her happiness, she was unable to see... The angry look in Ryu's dark gold eyes.

' _I want…_ _ **Revenge**_ _.'_

* * *

Ryu messed up. He messed up every step of the way, and he knew why. His mind, addled by anger and wanting revenge, was unable to think logically as he went around asking his former rivals for help with his wish of exterminating the Witch's Cult. He would say he messed up the worst with Crusch, damaging his relationship with her.

" _You say you have knowledge on the Witch Cult's movements, and their next time and place. But that's not the issue." Crusch said, her tone professional as she stared into his eyes. "The real issue is_ _ **how**_ _you've acquired that knowledge."_

" _I… cannot say…" Ryu said, after realizing mentioning his Reset ability, or his current ability that Austin called 'Return by Death', or just 'Return'; would end up badly. He could be seen as a madman or a threat. Crusch sighed._

" _And that's what hurts your proposal the most. I want to believe you, Ryu, truly. But if you can't tell me, then I am going to end up questioning if you're keeping anything else secret." Crusch said, as Ryu grit his teeth. "Alliances need to be born of trust and camaraderie. Lies and secrets will never benefit anyone in any type of relationship, especially alliances, they always come back to bite you."_

After that critical failure, he tried his luck with Priscilla.

" _The Witch's Cult, you say?" Priscilla hummed, as she sat upon her lavish throne-like chair. "And you want my help in exterminating them?"_

" _That's right," Ryu nodded. "I am willing to give you anything in exchange for help with my mission. People are going to get hurt if we don't stop them! They're all insane menaces!"_

_Priscilla then began to giggle softly… before bursting out into full-blown laughter. "My my, that vicious hatred you have for them is something I've never thought I'd see coming from you! Especially after the fiasco in the capital, and what I've seen from your memories and experiences." She then calmed down as she stood up and walked over to him, reaching into her… ahem, cleavage and pulling out her fan as she pointed it at Ryu's neck. "You know, there was something I would have accepted as payment in exchange for my help… but it's something you can't offer anymore."_

" _What do you…" Ryu's eyes widened, as she smiled knowingly._

" _Ah, you've figured it out, haven't you? After you publicly declared that you were dropping out of the Royal Selection earlier today, you lost any pull you could have had with me today. The only thing I would accept as payment from you would have been your hand in marriage." Priscilla smirked._

" _W-why me?" He asked, as Priscilla then raised an incredulous and delicate eyebrow._

" _Why you? Isn't it obvious? To have a backup plan, of course!" She turned around and returned to sitting on her throne, putting her fan up to her face. "I may be lucky, and the world does work in my favor, but it's always smart to have a backup plan! You were a popular candidate for a long time, and in the case that you won, I wanted to ensure that I became Queen instead of someone else. Too bad, you lost your only chance to get me on your side." She then looked up, a bored look settling into her crimson eyes. "Aldebaran!" She called out, as the helmet-wearing knight walked into the room._

" _Yes, Lady Priscilla?" He obediently replied, as he then looked at Ryu, who had fallen to his knees._

" _Escort our guest outside. Treat him with the minimal amount of respect he deserves, if only to remember the man he could have been." Priscilla said in a cold tone, as Aldebaran obliged as he escorted Ryu out of the room._

But none of those defeats stung as much as his idiocy when it came to dealing with Anastasia Hoshin. His father would have hung his head in disappointment if he saw what happened there, surely.

" _I need a ride out of the city," Ryu said to Anastasia, as she sat in front of him. He had encountered the short Kararagian woman shortly after his failure with Priscilla, and she had offered to buy him a drink while they talked business._

" _My, you don't bother beating around the bush. For a Prince, I expected you to know there's no rushing a good deal. Oh well, I suppose you've just fallen out of practice." She reached into her bag, pulling out a quill and writing something down on a piece of paper. "It's not easy finding dragon carriages right now. Someone's been buyin' all of 'em. Good thing I know one of the last places with carriages left." She raised the paper as if teasing him with it. "This paper holds the address, I've signed it with my own name. I've signed it all away, but…"_

" _...You're really doing this, huh?" Ryu asked after a moment, an unimpressed look on his face as Anastasia smiled._

" _I suppose I am. It's no fun if I just hand it over, y'know." The foreign businesswoman/Princess said teasingly. "I wanna chat with ya for a while about this an' that."_

" _You're wasting your time, Lady Hoshin. What could you possibly get out of this?" Ryu asked, completely stunned and confused._

" _I believe that nothing in this world is completely without meaning," Anastasia explained, her smile not fading. "You never know who might give ya some inspiration."_

" _Fine…" Ryu relented in the end, though begrudgingly. "What do you want to talk about?"_

" _Hey, hey! Lady Anastasia! I wanna eat more! Can I order!" The small demihuman next to Anastasia piped up, her white and orange tail waving behind her. Anastasia smiled at her and nodded._

" _Sure. Eat all ya like." Anastasia allowed. "Just don't get your mouth all messy with sauce." The demihuman girl then requested for Anastasia to wipe her mouth, and then ran off when her face was clean of crumbs and sauce._

" _Yay! I'll be back soon!" She said, while Ryu shifted his gaze over to her._

_Ryu laughed softly at her cheerful demeanor, as Anastasia smiled. "Despite her looks, she's second-in-command in my private army," Anastasia said, grabbing Ryu's attention as he looked over in surprise._

" _Private army? Really?"_

_The foreign Princess nodded. "Yep! She's pretty strong. My private army's pretty famous in Kararagi. The Hoshin Company's personal mercenary squad, the Iron Fang." Anastasia then leaned forward, as if admiring the girl (who was currently ordering in a frenzy) from afar. "Ain't she super cute? Nothing beats sleepin' with her in your arms!"_

_Looks like Anastasia had a soft spot for demihumans. He took note of that in the back of his mind. Their attention was then grabbed as a carriage was heard leaving the vicinity of the diner. "Lately, lots of people have been gatherin' in the capital. I'm sure you've noticed the change in atmosphere, Ryu-san?"_

" _...It's because of the Royal Selection, isn't it?" He said as Anastasia nodded._

" _When those on the top move, the people move. When the people move, things move." She affirmed. "By the way, the value of things in the capital is fluctuatin' a lot now. Some of the most valuable products are iron goods. Weapons, like swords and spears, are bein' gathered from both inside and outside."_

_Only one reason for that came to mind, though he didn't voice it._ _**Crusch** _ _. "But how does that Russell fit into this equation…?"_

" _Russell Fellow? He's quite a big fish." Ryu heard Anastasia say, as his eyes widened as he recognized his blunder too late. He had given information about Crusch's quest to an enemy faction. It didn't matter if it was small or large, information was information and it could be used against her. "This has been fairly informative. Thank you, Ryu-san!" Anastasia handed the paper to him, but as Ryu took it he felt horrible. He fell into a trap because of his own stupidity._

" _You used me, you shrewd woman…" Ryu narrowed his eyes, begrudging respect in them. "I have to admit, that was smart of you. Good plays and patience on your end."_

" _I knew you'd see it my way in the end. A former Prince you may be, but you got the blood regardless, and you'll always remember your instincts in the end." Anastasia said, just as the demihuman from before returned. Anastasia then smiled softly. "Remember this stinging defeat, Ryu-san. It'll keep you on your toes. Learn from your failures, and perhaps you'll be able to overwrite your current reputation in the future." She then stood up, as she turned around to leave. "Ohh, and one last thing. The key to negotiation is how prepared you are_ _ **before**_ _you come to the table. Know what the other person wants, and dangle it in front of 'em. If all you do is think about what you want, then you'll only be settin' yourself up for failure. Now, it's time we left everyone!"_

_Ryu's eyes widened as he saw almost every being in the diner stand up and reveal themselves to be demihumans as well. They followed Anastasia's orders, as Ryu clenched his fist in anger. He accepted this defeat, yes, but it didn't mean he liked it. He_ _ **hated**_ _it. "See ya later!" Ryu saw the little demihuman, the second-in-command, wave at him as she then followed the others. "Bye-bye!" She said, before following Anastasia as they left together. Ryu grit his teeth, as an overwhelming aura of hate surrounded him._

' _ **Damn it all…**_ ' _Ryu thought bitterly. He looked up to see Rem enter the diner with a concerned expression on her face._

" _Ryu-kun, is something wrong?" She asked her soft tone allowing Ryu to calm down slightly as the aura faded quickly._

" _It's nothing, Rem." He sighed heavily, before looking over at her. "How'd it go with the Knight's Station?"_

" _I reported the maneuvers by the Witch Cult to the Knight's Station, but… it seems they've already heard several such reports already." Rem reported, as Ryu grit his teeth. "Since the Cult's background is unclear, they've received countless, unverifiable reports and anonymous tips already."_

" _They're covering their tracks…" Ryu gritted out, as further_ _ **Hate**_ _crept up his soul._

Why was he so weak? So useless?

* * *

He had followed Rem to the dragon carriage that Anastasia had supplied for them, though begrudgingly. He hated how he had to accept a 'gift' from someone who had played them for a fool. He tried looking past that and tried to think of ways to save the people of Arlam, as well as Ram and Emilia, from the Witch Cultists and Petelgeuse. Ryu's eyes narrowed as he then saw a familiar figure in the distance. Otto Suwen, waving in his direction. This was vaguely new. And he could use it.

"From here to the Mathers Domain?" Otto asked, confused and concerned as Ryu nodded. "Isn't that a little dangerous right now? It's already pretty late. We're planning to camp out here tonight. Why don't you join us, Lord Ryu?"

"Please, stop with the Lord stuff. You know I'm not running anymore, Otto." Ryu smiled sadly, before shaking his head. "Besides, I'll be fine."

"Heh, I bet you're just saying that Otto! We all know you just want to get rid of some of the oil in storage that you bought out of season, right?" One of the men said in a teasing tone, causing laughter to erupt around them as a flustered Otto tried to deny such accusations.

"That's not my intention at all!" Otto denied as Ryu smiled slightly. Otto then turned to Ryu with a nervous smile. "Though, it isn't as if I wasn't hoping you could use a little oil." At those words, Ryu looked to the side and summoned up his Interface, looking through it and noticing something.

* * *

_**GOLD: 1,470** _

* * *

His money had multiplied… from his deaths. Something, likely Austin or Shi, took the money from his dead timelines and took them. Probably for the better, since they couldn't use said money as a corpse. He then looked up at Otto. "What's this about oil?" He and Rem said simultaneously, as Ryu turned to her and smiled slightly, finding it amusing that they said it at the same time. It was like their minds were in sync.

He then refocused on Otto, not noticing Rem's somewhat flustered expression as Otto began to speak. "Oh, it's nothing much. I just made a bit of a mistake. And now, I have a lot of oil that isn't worth much right now. Even if I go to the capital, I'm not sure if I can manage to sell it all-"

"I'll take your entire stock." Ryu interrupted, knowing with both the money in Lugunican currency and his pure GOLD/"G", he could do a lot. "In return, I'd like for you to lend me some help transporting people. In fact, I'd like it if all the merchants and carriages here helped."

"People!? We don't want any part in human trafficking!" Otto panicked, as Ryu smiled and laughed.

"It's not that kind of business, Otto. What I want is to set up an evacuation chain." He continued his explanation swiftly, his instincts taking over. "There's a village near the Mathers Domain, known as Arlam. I want you to take its residents somewhere else!" The merchants looked at each other, as both Ryu and Rem pulled out their money.

"We will, of course, thank you properly." Rem said with a smile, and that was enough as the people gave in due to the sheer volume of money offered. Ryu now rode on Otto's carriage yet again, looking over the oil. Rem was managing the carriage that Anastasia gave them while Ryu looked over the quality and quantity of the oil he said he would buy, just so he knew what he could use it for. He instinctively noticed how it was flammable. Extremely so. His eyes narrowed, before Otto's words caught his attention again.

"If we ride through the night, we should enter the Mathers Domain by morning," Otto said, as Ryu looked over and nodded at the white-haired man.

"Thanks for the assistance, Otto. You're a great help." He genuinely thanked before a more curious expression settled on his face. He gazed into Otto's soul, wondering what trait he had, and finding a purple soul. Perseverance. How interesting. "Hey, Otto, you have a financial problem, right?"

"R-right! It's nothing big though since I'm sure that I'll be able to rebuild myself with the money you offer me-"

"I'll appoint you as my personal assistant and manager of funds for my joined Camp between me and Emilia if you do a good enough job." Ryu bluntly said, nearly giving the poor man a heart attack.

"A-are you serious?" Otto asked, an almost desperate and panicked look in his eyes. Ryu nodded with a smile, as Otto's eyes gained a more firm look. More determined. "Right! I'll do my best, sir!" Ryu smirked in response, before forming a barrier of **Hate** around himself and using it to transfer himself from Otto's carriage to the one with Rem.

"Ryu, I would like to check our map. Could you handle the reins for a moment?" Rem asked him once he had taken his seat, as Ryu nodded and passed her the map from his bag and then took control of the Ground Dragon's reins. Ryu also summoned up his soul, which began to glow on command to light up the map. Otto looked over in awe.

"Lord Ryu, what is that?" Otto asked him, as he looked over with a bored look. He then hummed once he remembered Otto hadn't seen something like soul magic before.

"It's my soul. I'll explain the logistics of it later, it doesn't matter right now." He casually waved it off, before grinning widely. "Until then, pretend that this never happened, 'kay?"

"I feel like I'm being inserted into some devious plot…" Otto fretted again, as Ryu soon calmed down and smiled. Everything was going according to plan right now, which was a great relief.

"Just a bit farther, and we'll reach Flugel's Tree." Rem eventually said, causing Ryu to stiffen up slightly as he remembered planting many trees… but he planted one in particular with the help of his mother, who had incarnated with him into the world as his mother, Lilliana Aicenfall. "If we head northeast from there, the Mathers Domain isn't far."

"R-right…" Ryu then blinked as he looked to the side, noticing something off. "Hey, where'd the guy with the bandanna go?" He asked curiously, with a suspicious look in his eyes.

"Lord Ryu, is something wrong?" Otto respectfully asked as the ex-Prince turned to him but-

" _ **Don't say a thing about the man with the bandanna. It'll make sense later. In fact, Ryu, please prepare your Interface and select the new option. It'll be important, select it when I say so."**_ Austin's voice called out, and Ryu could recognize the seriousness in the **Hate Origin** 's tone. He prepared the Interface, noticing the option of **SNAP** , and after a moment realized it generated a picture and a time that he could either keep or delete. He deleted the picture he took of Flugel's Tree as a test run, and sat down, deciding to trust Austin for now.

Ryu then looked at Otto and smiled. "It's fine. I thought I saw something. Nevermind me." It was then he noticed a fog roll in and a peculiar sound. The sound of a whale. His eyes widened as he formed a sphere of magic through coalescing a large amount of **Vengeance** magic, glowing as it revealed a large eye staring right at him. The eye of the White Whale.

" _ **RYU! NOW!"**_ Austin commanded, and Ryu, not wanting to argue; took the picture… only to find a spear of darkness stabbing into his chest… coming from his back. " _ **I will not let the Whale take your soul. Puck was fine. But never will I allow a Mabeast absorb your soul."**_ Austin said in a cold tone, as Ryu blacked out.

* * *

' _I died again… but… Austin killed me.'_ Ryu thought, a blank expression on his face as he found himself back at House Karsten. At least his dying reset his bad relationships with Crusch, Priscilla, and Anastasia. He stared at a window, out upon the busy lands of the capital below him as hie eyes narrowed. "You destroyed another world, just to send me back… didn't you, Austin?"

" _ **You would have died either way,"**_ Austin said, his tone losing any cheerfulness as well as his normal 'Australian-esque' accent. " _ **I just sped up the process and avoided a disaster. If the White Whale had taken your soul, then that timeline would have been doomed to much more than just erasure."**_

…

Austin claimed to do this for his own good. But did he ask to be saved by him? No. He would have accepted death if it meant he was dying with the rest of his friends if he had actually fought the beast. But now, he understood.

He was weak. Useless. And he hated himself for it. "I am… truly slothful, aren't I?" Ryu asked the reflection in the window, as the last vestiges of courage in Ryu had burned out.

* * *

The first thing he did was teleport him and Rem off of Karsten grounds and into the middle of the capital. If what he was planning to do was to work, he needed her with him. He glanced over at her, as she confusedly stared at him. "Ryu-kun, what was that about?"

"Yeah, I don't typically think things through too much, just did this all on a whim. Like the idiot I end up being. Sorry for doing this without warning, it probably worried you quite a bit." Ryu laughed weakly, though he was laughing at himself more than anything.

"Ryu, you shouldn't put yourself down so much." Rem shook her head, a kind smile on her face. The kind, beautiful smile of…

" _Live… for me…" She then smiled at him, with her words only bringing more pain to Ryu's heart. "Love… you…" Her hand then fell from his grasp, as her eyes finally lost their light._

The smile of the girl who once said she loved him, when he didn't deserve it, when he got her killed. "I know you're thinking a lot about our situation." Rem then corrected herself, a more pleased smile coming to her face. "Well, it's not that I don't like it when you're forceful. I see it as a symbol that your Determination may soon return."

"I… I'm sorry that I worried you, Rem." Ryu apologized, shifting his gaze to look out upon the capital. "It feels like recently, all I've been is a pathetic burden to you and anyone close to me. Buuut, I have a plan now."

"A plan?" Rem excitedly asked. "What is it, Ryu-kun?"

"I've decided, Rem." He extended his hand out to the girl, his pale gold eye glowing faintly. "Run away with me. As far as we can go."

Rem confusedly stared at Ryu. "Huh?"

"I'm leaving the capital." Ryu elaborated. "I know since I'm a King's Candidate and all, I wouldn't be allowed to normally on principle, but I'm sure we can sneak away with my plan. I am planning on going as far east as I can, back to the Lost Isles." Of course, that would take a while since the Lost Isles didn't exist here, but oh well. "I mean, Karagi sounds nice and all, but honestly I'd rather be as far as I can be from the mainland and all the King stuff."

"Ah… um… Ryu…"

Ryu turned to her, waving his hands around in a panic. "I know it'd be a long journey and a serious commitment, but honestly I'm sure it'd all be worth it in the end. And who knows what the other islands of the Lost Isles have in store for us, some of them are still unexplored." Ryu laughed nervously, though he continued to think on the inside. ' _Of course, after I summon the Isles to this world that is.'_

"Please, Ryu! Slow down!" Rem begged as Ryu turned to face her. "You make it sound like you're… running away from Lugunica." Rem then perks up, bringing more pain to Ryu as he knew he would have to disappoint her. "Knowing you, you probably have some big plan involving your homeland! Maybe an object of great power that can help fight the Whale? Or a special Trait?"

"That's not the case, Rem." Ryu denied instantly, a more cold look settling in his eyes. "I have nothing to do in the capital anymore. I'm powerless now, weaker than a newborn baby. Without my Determination, my Soul's very building blocks, I'm nothing. So I realized there's no point in my staying here." Ryu then shrugged, a careless expression on his face as the coldness in his eyes fading as if they never were there. "Roswaal only kept me around due to my power. And without that, there's nothing I can do, I can't even win the Election. So… I want you to run away with me, Rem." He pointed off into the horizons, as he leaned against a wall. "We can't stay here. It's much too dangerous. I always tried to push against the idea, but at the moment, I'd be better off far away from Lugunica. I'm worthless here."

"That's not-"

"It's the absolute truth!" His eyes shone a bright blue in response to his words, instead of the dull blue that appeared when he lied. He truly believed he was useless. "It's been spelled out for me, over and over throughout the years. I can't believe it took me so long to realize that." He thought over the people who had put him down in the past, those he had originally ignored… but he now thought that they had a point. Blaze being one of them. "That's why I've decided to leave, so no one has to see my worthless face ever again. Anything I do will only lead up to death, I am a living beacon for death and destruction." He then waved his hands in a panic again, as he continued. "B-but if it's just me and you, I'm sure I could protect you from anything headed our way!"

"R-Ryu… this is so sudden." Rem nervously looked to the side, as Ryu looked away as well, feeling guilty for putting Rem on the spot.

"I know it is. I really don't want to pressure you into doing anything though. I really, really don't. So, I give you a choice." He extended his hand out to the girl, as his eyes softened. "Me? Or someone else? Please, choose." The pale gold in his eyes started to fade slowly as he began to internally doubt his own choices, knowing what he was doing was not just. Even the Trait of **Vengeance** didn't want to support a coward like him. "We could get a dragon carriage or something, keep going east. We'll leave Lugunica and never look back. We could get ourselves a little house and live there together… And even if times get hard, I'm sure I could keep going with you there. Just to have someone waiting at home for me with a smile." Ryu's remaining portion of Vengeance began to slowly fade. "I know you've been waiting for me, I'm sure of it! Please come with me! I promise you, I'll give you everything the world can offer and more! So please… just come home with me." Ryu begged, a broken look in his eyes.

Rem softly smiled in response for a brief moment before losing it as quickly as it came. "Ryu… I cannot run off with you. We're supposed to laugh together, as we talk about the future, remember?"

Ryu hesitated. "I- I mean… we could always do that afterward…"

Rem smiled sadly. "I have thought about it too, you know? We could live in the Lost Isles, traveling together and solving the mysteries of your homeland. And we could live off the bounties of the land, with you making us a house to live in." She raised a finger to her chin as if thinking, as Ryu could only watch while she continued speaking. "And with your powers, we could get anything we needed almost instantaneously. We could use your knowledge to build a school for Soul Magic too, as a secondary source of income! And knowing you, you'd probably work really hard on making a castle for us to live in, and rebuild the Lost Isles from scratch. And with all that readied… ahh… it's embarrassing to say." Rem covered her mouth with her hands, an embarrassed blush on her face. "But we could have a child. It would be a hybrid child though, so it'd definitely be a feisty one. And whether we have a boy or a girl, twins, or maybe even triplets, I'm sure they'd be adorable and just as strong as you are. I'm sure they wouldn't be all fun times though." Rem calmed down slightly as she then looked down. "And not everything would work out exactly as I imagined it. We might have only daughters and no sons, and you might feel a little out of place in your family."

Ryu stared in silence, his mind unable to find anything to say in this current state. "But still, even when the children grow up and reach the age when they treat you coldly, I shall still be by your side! We could be famous in the New Kingdom of Rustcottmo as a couple of lovebirds, the King and his Queen, as we take our time together and grow old."

"...Rem…?" The drain of Ryu's magic finally halted as confusion settled in. This didn't make sense in Ryu's mind.

"And I would feel bad for doing it to you, but I'd like to die before you do, if possible. I want to die quietly, in our bed, holding your hand, surrounded by our children and their children. To finally say, 'I was so blessed,' as you watch my final moments. I could end my life happily, ever so happily."

Ryu was unable to comprehend Rem's thought process. It didn't make sense in his own mind. "If you've already thought of things that far, then… why?"

"If you could wish for that future with a smile, I would truly be happy to die that way. As long as I could live with you." Tears began to well up at the corners of Ryu's eyes as a side effect of Rem's soft, sweet words. "Just knowing you want me with you when you run away, makes me happy from the bottom of my heart. But I cannot. Because I know, if I run away with you now, then I'd be leaving behind the Ryu that I love the most." Rem took a step forward, reaching a hand out to the ex-Prince. "Ryu, please tell me what happened. What caused you to want to run away?" Ryu took a step back and shook his head in slight fear. "If you cannot, please trust me. I swear I shall do something to make this right." Ryuuto's mind trailed back to the timeline before, the one that horrified him. The one where Petelgeuse mangled and twisted Rem's body with his Unseen Hands. He shook his head again in fear, barely able to keep his body from shivering, knowing he couldn't tell her anything. "But for now, at least, we should go back. If we take our time, and calmly look over things, maybe we can find another answer."

"I've already thought of everything I could! I've run every simulation I could think of in my soulscape! That's why I gave up!" Ryu snapped, a mad look in his eyes. I'm weak, and without my strength, I don't see a way to beat the enemies ahead of us… let alone the Witches Cult!"

Rem shook her head. "It's easy to give up… but…"

Ryu froze in place in place as a bit of Hate crept up his eyes due to his emotional vulnerability. "It's **easy** to give up? Who gave you that idea?" Ryu roared, a furious expression on his face. " **THERE'S NOTHING EASY ABOUT GIVING UP! EVERY MOMENT I EXIST RIGHT NOW, I FEEL THE PAIN OF KNOWING I AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS! I'LL NEVER BE A GREAT KING LIKE MY FATHER! I'LL NEVER BE A GREAT WARRIOR LIKE MY BROTHER AND COUSIN! THE FACT I WAS THE REASON MY MOTHER DIED!** " Ryu's expression continued to grow angrier as he slashed his hand through the air for emphasis. " **DO YOU THINK I FOUND IT EASY TO GIVE UP?!"** His tears began to finally fall, mixing with the Hate leaking from his eyes. " **IT WASN'T EASY FOR ME TO GIVE UP! MY SOUL WENT GRAY BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH OF MY WILLPOWER I'VE BEEN EXPENDING! MY SOUL CAVED IN AFTER THAT DAY!** " A black aura surrounded Ryu as his body began to glow with hate. " **ALL THESE YEARS, I'VE BEEN ONLY GOING ON BECAUSE OF MY WILLINGNESS TO NEVER GIVE UP! IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT, I'D HAVE DIED AGES AGO! BUT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING NOW! THERE'S NO PATH FORWARD IN THIS STATE! I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET BACK MY POWERS! ALL THE SIGNS POINT TOWARDS ONE THING: GIVING UP!** "

"Ryu… it **is** easy to give up," Rem repeated as Ryu looked down in shame. "But… it just doesn't suit you." Ryu slowly looked up at her, his face stained with tears and the blackness of Hate. "I may not even know half of the painful things you've been through… or what you've learned that makes you hurt so much. And I know it wouldn't be right for me to thoughtlessly say that 'I understand'." She shook her head, a sad smile on her face. "But even so… there is something I do know. I know you're not the type of person to give up on something once you've started it. I know you're the most strong, most Determined man I've ever met. I know you're someone who can find a way to smile in even the darkest of situations, and find hope in the dimmest of lights. I know… that you're someone who would never give up on the future ahead."

The essence of Hate kept crawling into Ryu's soul, with his eyes blackening around the edges. "...What do you know about me… I'm not…"

"Wrong." Rem instantly denied his words, her tone caring but stern. "You've never given up on anyone. Not Miss Emilia, or sister. Or Lord Roswaal, Miss Beatrice, or anyone else. You've always pushed to show the power of bonds, that anyone can be a good person if they tried. Didn't your own tale prove just that?"

Ryu shook his head in denial, as he grabbed his jacket, right over his heart; which was beating madly. "I have… I've given up before… I've given up many times before, even now! I should have known this was impossible from the very start! My soul isn't strong enough… I'm not strong enough." Ryu stared at his hands with a despairful look in his eyes. "The future keeps slipping through my hands, leaving nothing!"

"No. That isn't true. You have-"

" **WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!** " Ryu roared, startling Rem as the Hate in Ryuuto's body finally began to affect him. " **I'M A MONSTER, A FREAK! A HEARTLESS MONSTER IN HUMAN SKIN!** " Ryu slammed his fist against the wall behind him, surely breaking his now frail bones, but uncaring as blood and Hate essence leaked from his hand. " **I DON'T EMBODY ANY OF THE TRAITS! NOT PATIENCE, NOT BRAVERY, NOT INTEGRITY, NOT PERSEVERANCE, NOT KINDNESS, NOT JUSTICE, AND ESPECIALLY NOT DETERMINATION! I… I HATE MYSELF! I CLAIM TO BE THE SON OF A KING AND QUEEN, BUT I'M AN EMBARRASSMENT TO BOTH! THE WORLD KNOWS I'M NOTHING! THE ONLY SPECIAL THING ABOUT ME WAS MY KNOWLEDGE ON SOUL MAGIC! YOU KNOW IT ON THE INSIDE! RIGHT?!** " Ryuuto began to scratch at his head furiously as he soaked his hair with the blood of his broken hand. " **I'm empty! Soulless! A sorry excuse for a human being! At my core, I am hateful, heartless, cruel, sadistic, and spiteful! This is who I am at my core, Rem! I'm a monster!** "

Rem smiled kindly, all the while patiently waiting for Ryu to allow him to let his feelings out. "I know… that no matter how far you've fallen into the darkness. You still have the courage to reach out your hand." Rem softly said, her voice soothing his soul as Ryu looked up slowly, a disbelieving look on his face. "I love it when you stroke my hair. I feel like we can understand each other in ways no one else can."

' _No… stop… don't say anything else…'_

"I love hearing your voice. Just hearing you say one word is enough for my heart to feel lighter and warmer. I love your eyes. Sometimes they're a little scary and cold, but when you're being kind to someone; I love the way they soften. When you're ready to fight, to protect others, I love how they shine with your Magic." Rem continued to list off the things that she loved about Ryu, as his eyes flickered with color briefly. "I love your fingers. For a boy, for a trained warrior Prince, you have such lovely fingers. But when they hold me, I know they're the strong, powerful hands of a man. I love the way you walk. When we're out together, I love the way you occasionally turn around to make sure I'm keeping up."

" **No… Stop…** " Ryu audibly begged, not wanting to see her get hurt. If he grew too attached, only bad things would happen.

"I love the way you sleep." Rem continued, unfettered by Ryu's words. "You rest unguarded, like an infant, but you look calm like you know you're protected. When I touch your cheek, you nuzzle into my hand like a kitten… And when I playfully touch your lips, you don't even notice. It all makes my heart ache terribly. I love all of it." Rem confessed as Ryu stared at her in confusion. None of this made sense. If she had thought everything through, made an entire story for a future they could have had, and even showed him this much love... then why? Why did she reject his offer?

Ryu decided to express his confusion. " **Why…?** "

Rem smiled. "When you said you hated yourself, it made me want to tell you all the wonderful things I know about you."

Ryu shook his head, still denying all the good things she said about him. " **It's all a bunch of lies.. Just a bunch of make-believe dreams… You don't know me! I'm a murderer! I have blood on my hands!** " He had saved the Underground, yes… but it didn't mean his hands were clean! He wasn't a pure goodie-two-shoes pacifist! He had killed people in the Underground many times because of his idiocy! He had nearly killed Asriel Dreemurr in a rage-induced fit! " **I know myself better than anyone! It's my fault my family was killed! It's my fault you and Ram got hurt in that forest on that day! I'm nothing but a bad luck charm!** "

Rem finally snapped. "ALL YOU KNOW IS HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF!" The hate in Ryu's eyes snapped back from overtaking him as he looks up at Rem, who had tears rolling down her cheeks, with her shoulders shaking from emotions she finally released of her own. "How much do you know about the Ryu-kun that _I_ see?"

Ryu still couldn't fathom why she was doing this. " **W** h **y** …. **d** o **y** o **u** c **a** r **e** a **b** o **u** t **m** e **s** o **m** u **c** h **?** I'm **w** e **a** k… **I** ' **m** r **u** n **n** i **n** g **a** w **a** y, **j** u **s** t **w** h **a** t **I** s **a** i **d** I **w** o **u** l **d** n't **d** o. S **o** w **h** y **?** " His voice shifted between his hate-filled one and his normal self, as Rem smiled sadly, tears in her eyes.

"Because… you're my Hero, Ryu-kun!" She confessed as Ryu's eyes widened. A bunch of doves flew behind her at a randomly convenient time, as well as the sun shining upon her as if God himself was confirming this love was pure. "In that dark forest, when I didn't even know who I was anymore, and couldn't think of anything except violently lashing out… you were the one who saved me. You risked your life to fight the Wolgarms, and pushed your powers to the limit to save me and Sis. You pushed yourself to the brink of exhaustion, all to protect me and Sis from the beasts, to allow us time to get home! There was only a slight chance you could win in your state, and you were in mortal peril, but you smiled and persevered throughout the crisis!"

" _Alright bastards, here we go! SHAMAK!" Instantly, a massive beacon of black energy and smoke exploded from his body, only amplified by his own self-supplied Hate. He then dashed right at the Leader Wolgarm, stabbing at its neck with his enchanted blade, causing blood to erupt from it, before dashing back, spitting out the Bocco fruit, and summoning up his Hate to manifest a weapon. It formed into a scythe, as his eyes narrowed, swiping the blade as it slashed through the other Wolgarm. He shifted his gaze around as more Wolgarm poured out from the forest, snarling at him as they surrounded him and blocked off any escape paths. "Alright, I've got no problems with killing all of you."_

" _Ryu!" Rem cried out as Ryu turned around, only to be knocked over and glomped by the blue-haired Oni maid. Ryuuto groaned from the sudden impact and was about to yell at Rem for causing him more pain when he was already injured, but his words died in his throat as he heard Rem's crying. "You're alive! You're still alive! I'm so happy you're safe, Ryu!" Ryuuto softly smiled and moved a hand to stroke Rem's hair to slowly quieten her cries._

" _Sorry I was a bit late with the rendezvous, Rem… I suppose I got a little carried away…" He apologized, but that only caused her cries to resume again._

"You came back to my arms, alive and warm. When you woke up, you smiled, said the words I wanted to hear most, when I needed to hear them most, and from the one I wanted to hear them most from! My time had been stopped for so long… ever since that fiery night, the night I lost everything but my sister, my time had been stopped. It was you who melted my frozen heart, and allowed me to begin moving forward again! I'm sure you have no idea just how much you saved me… or how happy I felt at that moment, on that fateful morning."

" _I… I told you, I'm only my sister's replacement." Rem said. "Nothing m-"_

" _Don't look down on yourself so much. No one else here does. No one here is a replacement for another. You are Rem, a maid of Roswaal Manor, a Kindness Mage-in-Training, and my friend. I couldn't ask for anything else, since this is all I know. All I need." Ryu slowly got up, taking Rem's hand as he led her to the window. "I've seen lots of things in my time, you know. I've encountered fantastical things and fought beings that if I told you about it, you'd laugh at me and say I have an active imagination." He then smiled at Rem, eyes glowing brightly. "And y'know what? I think I will tell you soon, if it puts a smile on your face. And I've got a lot of stuff to talk to you about, as well. That's what we promised back in the forest, right? We're going to talk, and talk, and talk until our voices go sore. So look up, alright? We've got a bright future ahead of us, Rem. Let's take it by the hand together."_

_Rem stared at his now offered hand, before taking it as a tearful smile came to her face. "Thank you, Ryuuto!"_

" _Don't mention it, Rem." He grinned in response, before bringing Rem into a hug._

"That's why I believe. No matter what painful things happen, even when it looks like you're about to give in… When no one else in the world believes in you when you don't even believe yourself… I will believe!" Rem reached up to Ryu and drew him closer to her, embracing him lovingly, bringing more tears to Ryu's eyes. "I will believe that the Ryu that saved me… is a True Hero." She then bent over and kissed his forehead, causing the Hate buildup on him to disperse all at once. Once she released him from the hug, Ryu looked up at Rem.

"No matter how hard I tried… I couldn't save anyone…" Ryu said, still trying to deny the truth as his now purified soul tried to recuperate itself.

Rem shook her head. "I am here." She retorted in a soft tone. "The Rem you saved is here. The Ram you saved is here. The Emilia you saved is here. You saved so many lives, Ryu."

"I haven't done anything… anyone else could have done what I did… No one will ever listen to me." Ryu tried to deny her again, but Rem had another response for him prepared.

"I am here." She softly whispered, bringing more tears to his eyes that wiped away any excess hate on his face. "I will listen to anything you have to say. I want to."

"No one expects anything of me… no one believes in me." Ryu gritted his teeth. "I hate myself."

Rem reached over and places a hand on Ryu's cheek, a smile on her face. Well, I love you, Ryu-kun!" She confessed, as Ryu bit his lip.

"You… don't really mind it's me? I'm… weak..." The color in his eyes returned slowly, as well as the traits in his soul, except for his Determination which was set back to Half. Weak and fragile, but still a powerful trait if he used it right.

"I want it to be you." Rem reaffirmed. "I wouldn't want it to be anyone else. If you can't forgive yourself for being empty and having no power, then let's start from here, right now."

"Start… what, exactly?" Ryu asked, choking up on his own words due to his fragile emotional state.

Rem smiled down at him lovingly. "Just like how you started my time when it was stopped, we will make the time that you feel has stopped for you begin to move again. Let us start again… from square one." She then recorrected herself a moment later, as the light shining upon her only increased. "No, from Zero!" Ryu's eyes widen as the Determination in him slowly started to refill. "If it is too hard for you to walk alone, I will hold you up. As we walk, we can share this burden and support each other. Wasn't that what you said to me earlier?" Rem smiled as the wind blew past them, waving their hair through the air. "Show me how awesome you can be, Ryu-kun. "

Ryu slowly stood up, shadows covering his eyes. "Rem…"

"Yes?" She smiled at him patiently, as if expecting something to happen. It didn't take much brainpower for him to realize she was expecting a rejection.

Ryu's lips twitched into a smile briefly as he looked up, his red eye now returned to its original color… no, even brighter. It was like someone had taken the most shining, beautiful, yet fragile ruby and put it to the sun. "Thank you, so much!" Rem looked up in surprise, as she witnessed his tears, his voice cracking with emotion. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. You have continually seen me at my worst, and you never held a grudge against me for it, and instead only stayed kind and patient." He wiped away his tears with his jacket sleeve, as he smiled sadly. "You continued to love me despite everything. I will never forget this love I have felt today." He then looked down, as he began to think about a certain memory he had regained. "Perhaps… if I survive… we can strive for a future we both love."

Rem was startled as he went to walk over to Ryu. "R-Ryu? What do you mean by that?" She was then stopped from moving by the large number of icy spears ejected from the floor, supercharged with Colorless **Blue** **Magic** , right in front of her and blocking her path to Ryu. "Ryu-kun! Where are you going?!"

Ryu turned to her with a smile. "I'll do my best to come back! I love you, Rem!" He immediately reciprocated her feelings, bringing tears to her eyes. "You, and your sister too! But I'm sure you already knew that. It's childish, but… she was my first crush" He turned around again. "Make sure to tell her how I feel while I'm gone! And apologize to Emi for me!"

"Ryu-kun! Please, where are you going!" She tearfully tried reaching through the absurdly thin gaps in between the ice spikes, as Ryu glared at the skies above.

"I'm going home, Rem." He answered her, thinking to the cause of the loss of his Determination. His mother. "I need to return home… and get back what I am owed."

" _Son, the Alestian Empire exists in all realms. And as you are their Prince, you will soon lead the Empires of all said realms."_

"I need to do this… even if I die attempting it." He then ran off, leaving a crying and confused Rem, who eventually turned to find a way back to Roswaal Manor and warn the others of Ryu's actions.

Ryu needed to find the Alestian Empire… as he hoped it would be the place he could find the strength to beat Petelgeuse and the White Whale.

* * *

...The times long past were… peaceful, Ryu realized.

Ryu walked through the forests surrounding Roswaal manor in secret, with a blank look in his eyes, eventually reaching a specific cliff, where he looked down to see the jagged rocks below him. He then looked up at the skies, knowing elsewhere the Alestian Empire of this world still existed. A dark and angry look appeared on his face, as he then began to think. Think about the past that led him here.

_A young Ryuuto could be found wandering the outer regions of the Kingdom of Rustcottmo, managing to sneak out of the castle and into the forest where he heard his mother was teaching kids around his age. The young nine-year-old grinned widely before rushing off into said forest, his red and yellow-green eyes shining with enthusiasm. He was about to take a step into the faint green barrier surrounding his mother's Magic School when he ended up tripping and falling._

" _Son! Wake up!"_

_Ryuuto's eyes fluttered open, gazing up at the worried face of Emily Henderson, his mother, and the High-Queen of Rustcottmo. Her worries faded slightly once she saw he was awake. "Oh, thank the Heavens you're alright! You tripped on a rock and slammed face-first into the barrier!"_

_That explained the pain. Ryuuto rubbed his aching forehead before smiling at his mother. "Hey, mom. Didn't mean to worry you. I just… wanted to watch you teach!"_

_Emily sighed, before smiling back. "Oh, I suppose you deserve a break from your studies. Come on, I'm helping the Integrity children today." She helped him up and led him out of the cottage that she used as a second home-away-from-home. Ryu watched with awe in his eyes as his mother's students performed gravity-defying feats with their Magic. Walking up walls, using magic-platforms as staircases, jumping hundreds of meters into the air… it was all just astonishing. He wished he could do things like that._

_...Maybe he didn't have to just wish. His mother was distracted. He could give it a shot. He carefully raised a foot as he imagined a platform appearing under his feet and using his Soul to try and push that dream into reality. He watched in awe as a faint blue circular platform appeared under his raised foot, and he pushed against it experimentally. He grinned as he kept pushing onwards, climbing up into the air, experiencing the thrill of being high up in the sky before losing focus and_ _**falling** _ _._

_Ryu grew confused when he didn't feel any pain… in fact, it felt like he was still in the air. He slowly opened an eye, since he was wincing in preparation for an impact, and found he was in the air with a blue platform below him, held up by two familiar arms. He looked up to see his mother's smiling face. "Well, here's something you don't see every day." The Queen commented, a proud look in her eyes. "Someone using Magic beyond their traits… Son, how would you like it if you came to Magic School?" Emily asked, to Ryu's awe and excitement._

_From there, it was a long journey for Ryu, learning the other Magic types over the years. It was far from easy, as each tutor drove him to the brink of death and back. It was training straight from hell, but it was working. He took steps up a mountain, trying to use Integrity to defy gravity, but ended up falling into Emily's arms once he lost focus. The mother-son duo had a good laugh about that specific incident, with the otherworldly Queen always encouraging her son with love and positive reinforcement._

_Two years later, when Ryu was 8-and-a-half-years-old, the Queen took her son out camping by one of the nearby mountains, amusedly watching her son talk about his dreams of being a hero and saving The Lost Isles from the Beast that was constantly threatening them, the Brown Leviathan. As the two then laid down to prepare for sleep, Ryu shifted his gaze from the night sky to look at Emily. "Mom, where did you live before you met dad? You said you came from a different Kingdom, and you were raising me to be *your* heir…"_

" _You want to know, hm?" Emily smiled knowingly, as she turned over to face her son, her pale lavender hair falling behind her. "Well, I came from all the way up there…" She said, pointing up at the night sky, as Ryu frowned._

" _Momma, everyone knows no one lives in space, that's absurd." Ryu pouted. "Tell me the truth!"_

" _Oh, but it is the truth. And I can prove it." The woman sat up, as did Ryu, with Emily pointing her hand at Ryu. He watched confusedly as she put her pinky finger out for him to take. "When you're older, I'll take you to Alestia, and we'll have fun together. It's a promise." Ryu eventually hooked his own pinky finger with his mother's, as the promise was forged, with the boy grinning and crying out of joy._

_Years later, Ryu was a 12-year-old Prince, jumping about the Kingdom of Rustcottmo as he messed around with his Integrity magic. He jumped onto another platform, smiling down at the kingdom below him before he noticed a horse and cart. His brother and parents were standing next to it, waving at him. He smiled and jumped down, landing on the floor and looking his mother in the eye. "Ryu… tell me, when's your birthday?"_

_Ryu rolled his eyes at that, an amused look on his face. "Mother, you should know your own son's birthday." Ryu quipped as Emily smiled softly._

" _Humor me." She said in a soft tone, as Ryu sighed._

" _Two weeks." Ryu replied, as the High Queen hummed and nodded._

" _Right, well… looks like we'll be going on a trip in two weeks. Get ready." She put her pinky finger out, as Ryu confusedly stared at it before a wide grin appeared on his face, cheering loudly, only to shut up as Blaze casually slapped the back of his head with a heat-magic enhanced palm. "Remember to keep up your studies and don't bother your Aunt Rin!" Emily called out as the cart rolled away._

_Days passed, with Ryu missing his family with each passing day. He constantly grew more anxious, marking each day on a calendar as he waited for their return. On the final day, he waited outside for their return with a smile… only for the smile to fade once that nightfall came. He shook it off, marking it up as a delay. Mother would come back. She had to. She made a promise. He could just enjoy today since he had a birthday party to attend. As each day passed, he felt more and more self-conscious._

_Had they… abandoned him? It had been a month already…_

_Marcus, Ryu's older cousin, watched from a window as he grew worried. "Hey, mom, shouldn't we try to figure out a way to contact the King or help Ryu?" He asked Rin, with the middle-aged Patience Mage tiredly smiling._

" _He can get through this, boy. He's strong, just like his father. Nothing can keep him down. 'Sides, I think he doesn't need to wait too much longer." Rin replied though she had her own worries about her nephew's mental health as well._

_Ryu eventually looked up once he saw a horse walk up to him, with the Royal Courier having a sad expression on his face. The young Prince stood up, asking for information on his parents, but only immediately regretting it as tears fell down his face._

" _Did you hear? The High Queen just tried to kill her husband!"_

" _Wait, the King? Really?"_

" _Talk about family drama, this is the messiest divorce ever!"_

" _People say she was planning it from the start."_

" _I heard she was executed on the spot!"_

" _I heard her son was the one to kill her!"_

" _Really? Which one?"_

" _Apparently, Prince Blaze was the one to do the deed! People even say he had no remorse on his face, too!"_

" _Poor Ryu, didn't the Queen make a promise to him or something?"_

_No… this was wrong, this was all wrong. Mom would never… They're wrong, they have to be._

...But now he had to do it on his own then.

Angry tears leaked from his eyes, as he blamed himself for everything that happened. Everything that happened to his mom, to his father, to Rem, and to Emilia. Every bad thing that happened was _his fault_ in his eyes. He needed to do this, to redeem himself.

_**"**_ _ **Ryu, you can't do this. You tried this back home and you nearly died. This isn't worth it."**_ Austin demanded, worried for his host. Ryu shut both him and Shi out, as his eyes gave off a dark glow. He had to do this. He had failed when he was younger, but now he was older… smarter. He wouldn't fail. He formed an Integrity Platform beneath him to boost him up and shot up like a trampoline. He was gaining speed quickly, the air whipping past him as he accelerated, but it wasn't enough for him. He jumped onto another platform, increasing its size…

" _Big bro? Did you really do it?" Blaze froze as he turned to look at Ryu's tear-stained face. "Did you really kill mom? Please, please tell me they were lying!" The younger Prince asked, only for Blaze to turn away and say the words he always feared._

" _She's dead. No need to worry about a traitor." Blaze said coldly, as Ryu's eyes lost a bit of their color._

Ryu's eyes widened, that part of his memory acting as a reminder of his failures. His will wavering and his Magic instantaneously drained, the platform shattered beneath him as he fell rapidly to the floor, reaching up for the skies desperately. "No! I-" His words came to an abrupt end as he saw the smirking face of Blaze from up above as if it was mocking him.

...

...What if they were right? If he's the wrong who's wrong, then… was everything fake? All those years of a mother who taught him everything he knew, raised him to be who he was today… was it fake? Was her love… fake? Did he ever… matter?

The teen slowly opened his eyes, as he felt something surround him. A warm feeling, one of a comforting hug… from a mother. His mother. A memory hit him.

" _Son, I want you to know something." Emily said to the young Ryu, who looked up at her from his studies. The Queen walked over to him and hugged him from behind, placing a kiss on his forehead. "There will be a moment in your future where you will doubt everything. You'll doubt yourself, you'll doubt me, you'll doubt your abilities to protect others. But I want you to know that… even when I'm gone in the future, I will always be here with you, that I love you more than my own life, and that..."_

Ryu's eyes gained a firm glow in them, as he formed a dozen platforms below him, shattering each one before the final one caught and supported him. "No one defines who I am… **but me**. Neither will I bow down to the **wills of others**." He said in a determined tone, his eyes regaining their light as he truly regained his Integrity. The single platform he stood on multiplied in size and power, as he forced more magic into it. It began to glow as he pushed against it, and then shot forward like a rocket. No, 'rocket' was doing a disservice to Ryu's speed, as he easily pierced the heavens and shot through space. Ryu eventually opened his eyes, as he then found himself astonished… he was standing on Alestian ground… but it didn't look like the main planet or kingdom, more like just a… fragment. A floating island.

Did… was he teleported here or something? He walked around, taking in the environment of tropical-looking trees and wildlife, and eventually finding a gravestone that brought him to tears.

_Here lies Emily Henderson - A loving mother with regrets._

And beneath that…

_Congratulations on making it here, Sleepy Dragon. Take what you've earned. I knew you'd find your way back to this world someday, you really did love that half-Elf girl after all. Saving the Underground was just the beginning. You have no limits. I believe in you and I love you. - Emily Josephine Henderson_

And lo-and-behold, before the gravestone lay a sword and an amulet. The sword was silver in color, with a golden crossguard and a red tassel hanging off of it. There was also a snowflake-like design engraved into the crossguard. The amulet was made of pure silver, with the depiction of a sun that was cracked in half engraved into its metal. Similar to his birthmark. Ryu fell to his knees, picked up the sword and the amulet, the only things left of this mother… and began to weep silently, holding the objects close as he mourned the one person he loved above all else. "I love you too, mom…" Ryu croaked out, as his tears hit the grassy floor beneath him.

* * *

_**Conditions Met.** _

_**Soul of Peace: Restored (100%).** _

_**Determination: Restored (100%, Previously 95%).** _

_**Ability: "Black Warp" unlocked.** _

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 3, Chapter 3 - Emotions (** _ _**感情** _ _**) - END** _

* * *

_**Yeah, its a cliffhanger. What're you gonna do about it?** _

_**Anyways, next chapter is anywhere between today and the next two weeks. Have fun theorizing, everyone!** _


	8. White Whale vs True Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle against the White Whale finally begins, as does Ryu's journey to become the Hero that Rem believes him to be.

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 3, Chapter 3 - White Whale vs True Hero (** _ _**白鯨** _ _**vs** _ _**真のヒーロー** _ _**)** _

* * *

_Black Warp._

A strange name for an equally strange ability. Ryu stared at his hands, as black energy formed around his hands. He pointed a hand at one of the trees on the Alestian Island, focusing for a moment as he let his instincts drive him. He watched as the tree warped and changed, before turning into a large red diamond that fell to the floor, shimmering.

Ryu's eyes widened. He could change reality? He wondered what the limits on this ability were… this was something he had never seen or heard of. He walked over to the diamond, which was large enough to require him to put it under his arm, and raised his other hand again; this time focusing on weaponry. The black energy manifested again, before 'glitching' out of existence as dark red knives and violet shortswords appeared around him. A smirk slowly came to his face, as he knew he could use this to not only fight against the Witch's Cult and protect his friends but also repay Crusch by helping subjugate the White Whale. Especially since he knew where and when that beast would appear.

He waved his hand through the air, with the weapons floating around him dispersing. "Now… to get home." He said, and **Black Warp** obliged his wishes, the black-red power he had gained manifesting around him and sending him back to Lugunica. More specifically, back to Roswaal Manor. Everyone in the manor turned to him in shock once he appeared, including the still crying Rem. "...Hey, every-" Ryu was stopped from saying anything else as Emilia had slapped him. Ryu was briefly stunned, but he eventually laughed slightly. "No, I deserve that."

"You idiot! Rem told us what happened! _No, we saw what happened!_ What were you thinking?" Emilia scolded him, as Ryu could see faint tears in her eyes. Anger born of worry. "You could have died if you fell from that far!"

"How'd you…" Ryu's gaze shifted to the pink-haired Oni maid in the room, who wasn't looking at him. Almost as if she was avoiding his gaze. Now it made sense. "Ram's Clairvoyance… she saw everything, didn't she?"

"I certainly did. You worried all of us, you idiot. You could have died. Truly, you are the Crimson Dummy." Ram coldly said, though her harsh tone only brought more laughter to Ryu.

"I am, I really am." He eventually calmed down, as a more serious look settled on his expression. He took the sword from before and put it on his side, along with putting on the broken-star amulet known as the Alestian Amulet. His mother's treasure. He felt a strange feeling flood him, as he eventually breathed in heavily and looked at Emilia. "Emi, I know you probably don't want me to leave just when I came back, but I have things I need to finish up in the capital. Important things that I can't postpone." As Ryu expected, Emilia had a disappointed/frustrated expression on her face as he said that. Looks like what Puck said in that… anomalous timeline was true, Emilia really did miss him. Did his friendship matter that much to her?

...Questions for later. "But, I promise I'll come back immediately after that's all over. I'll return to Roswaal Manor and keep my end of the bargain. I'm not the type to break a promise, right?" He stuck out his pinky finger to her, as Emilia pouted.

"Mou, that's so childish!" Regardless of her words, she did accept his offered finger, intertwining it with her own. "You better keep that promise, Ryu!"

"I wouldn't dare break it. Besides, I missed my friends." Ryu winked, a cheerful look in his eyes.

* * *

"...The White Whale?" Wilhelm asked Ryu, as the Prince had returned to House Karsten to give information on the Whale in exchange for help from his friend. Ryu noticed a faint gold aura appear around the man, as well as his soul of Perseverance beginning to glow in a particular manner. Ryu knew this kind of feeling from experience, Wilhelm wanted that thing dead more than anyone.

"I must say," Crusch began once Wilhelm had calmed down and apologized for his 'indiscretion'. "That's quite the claim, Ryu. What proof do you have of this?" Ryu silently brought up the **Snap** he had taken of the White Whale's face and eye, revealing his Interface for the first time.

"This is my **Interface System**. Something only available to me. Think of it as a unique Divine Protection." Ryu explained when he saw their curious looks. "But that's not what's important. Right there is a sighting of the White Whale amongst the timelines. My **Interface System** allows me to access the memories and possessions of things that belong to other universe mes." At the more excited looks on their face, he was sure they were pondering the existence of other universes. "It sounds absurd… but am I lying?"

Crusch shook her head. "No. Your eyes aren't flashing their dull blue of lies… and the winds of truth are blowing around you, not the ones of falsehood." She eventually sighed. "And I know you wouldn't be the type to joke about this either when you were the one who was so willing to train us for battle against the Whale. But what do you gain from all of this? You've been offering us all this information and help, but not once did you mention what _you_ wanted out of this."

"I want to forge an alliance," Ryu said, a firm look in his eyes. He looked behind him briefly, looking at Rem, who had accompanied him here and had helped him plan this situation out. He then looked at Crusch, knowing he couldn't show any weakness or hesitation here. "An alliance to fight against the Witch Cult. If that isn't enough, Crusch, then I should be able to get you mining rights of the Magic Stones in Elior Forest. Not to mention I'll be allowing your Camp to take any credit I'd be given in the battle with the Whale."

"Hey, would you mind if I listen in on this?" A familiar voice asked, as Ryu inwardly sighed in relief. Anastasia really was taking her sweet-ass time, wasn't she? He shifted his gaze behind him again, as the lavender-haired Royal Candidate walked into the room with Russell Fellow right next to her.

"Pardon us," Russell said, as he briefly smiled at Ryu, with the Prince nodding back in his direction.

"Anastasia Hoshin… and Russell Fellow?" Crusch raised an eyebrow in confusion, as the businesswoman waved in greeting.

"Now, this isn't fair at all, if you ask me," Anastasia said, as she looked at Ryu, who shrugged helplessly. "You asked us to come, and then here you are, startin' things without us! Let us in on this too!"

"Was it Ryu here who asked you to come here?" Crusch asked, focusing her gaze on the young man, who was currently very calm.

"Well, to be exact, it was this girl he keeps with him." Anastasia corrected, before turning to look at Crusch. "I only heard the gist of things, but if you're really plannin' to subjugate the White Whale, I look forward to it!" Ryu then felt two hands placed behind him, turning to smirk at Anastasia as she looked at him. "For us business folk, whether the White Whale's around is a life-or-death matter! Of course, our mercenary team will help y'all!"

"In addition to the White Whale, I'm interested in the concession that Ryu-sama proposed of mining rights to the Magic Stones," Russell said, putting a hand to his chin. "If the alliance is formed, Magic Stones from pristine, untouched veins will be distributed to the capital through you, Crusch-sama. As the Merchant Guild's representative, I cannot let the offer go unheard."

"And did Ryu call you here?" Crusch asked curiously, as the businessman shook his head negative. Ryu coughed into his fist to get Crusch's attention back onto himself.

"I'll say it once more, Crusch. What I offer in return for this alliance is a share in the Magic Stone mining rights, information on when and where the White Whale appears, and my assistance in subjugating it. Not to mention giving all the credit of the Whale's subjugation to you, on my end at least." Ryu then stood up and put his hand out. "If our wishes and goals align like I think we do, then this will be a deal that greatly benefits you, and I am willing to change it wherever you wish if it makes it better, as long as it's within reason or my power."

Crusch stared at his offered hand, before sighing. "I still have questions, and some doubts… but I know you're not the type of person to trick or dupe me. I am willing to trust you, because of the fact that the Law of Integrity hasn't sprung up to catch you…" She then looked at Felix, who nodded. "Neither has Felix detected a singular lie amongst what you have said. Just like me." Crusch stood up, a smile coming to her face. "I am quite happy to hear you are willing to assist us in this battle, just as I am happy to hear your strength has returned." She took Ryu's hand and shook it, as Ryu's determined look only grew in potency. A faint smirk came to his expression.

The Anti-Witch Cult Alliance had been formed.

* * *

Ryu fell back to his chair in exhaustion moments later, as he had used every negotiating muscle in his brain to pull this current deal off. With how inexperienced he had become with dealings, contracts, alliances, and negotiations; it only made sense for him to feel exhausted, right? "There were a few touch-and-go moments," Ryu heard Russell say from behind him as he looked over at the man. "But I'm glad things worked out, Ryu-sama. I trust the promise we made prior to the negotiation still stands?"

"Yeah, yeah. You were a big help, Russell." Ryu sighed, as he raised his left hand and waved it about for a while. "Once the subjugation has been dealt with, I'll give you my metia." He had learned that his old cellphone (well really, it was Frisk's) was something that Austin had in their possession and that in this world, it was seen as a rare object known as a Metia.

"So, you did do some groundwork before coming here," Crusch commented, a semi-amused tone in her voice. "I'm assuming you were waiting outside the door for your moment to enter?"

"The timing of our entrance was entirely up to us, though," Anastasia said, as he looked up at the girl again. "Well, as far as negotiations go, that just about passes?"

"You certainly took your time though, Hoshin," Ryu said, partially annoyed. "I almost thought you had flaked on me."

"When negotiatin', you gotta make your move at the right time." Anastasia winked, only making Ryu feel more annoyed, though he was doing an exceptional job at hiding it. "Well, while y'all are gettin' ready for the subjugation and such, don't forget to patronize the Hoshin company!" Anastasia had begun to walk out but paused as she turned to Ryu with a smirk. "As for you, Ryu… get better at negotiatin', and maybe I'll think about giving you a position in my Royal Court when I win the election." With those words, Anastasia finally left, leaving Ryu confused… and Austin to continue monitoring his soul, and the threads attached to them.

"You actually paved the way for negotiations before coming here, didn't you?" Crusch smiled at Ryu, as he smirked in response. "You're certainly more shrewd than I first thought."

"I just needed to flex a few muscles I forgot I had," Ryu half-shrugged. "I'm still adapting to my newly restored memories… as well as the experiences and knowledge I've regained with them. But, I think I'm getting somewhere." Ryu then sighed, warping a glass of water into existence with **Black Warp** and downing it quickly. "But honestly, I'm just relieved I pulled it off."

"Well, that's plain to see," Felix commented, as the cat-eared knight and Rem both had a small laugh over Ryu's exhausted attitude. Ryu smiled a little himself because of it and looked over at Rem.

"Well, we managed to pull off a little miracle of our own, wouldn't you say Rem?" He asked the maid, who smiled kindly.

"Yes, you are truly wonderful, Ryu-kun." Rem complimented, giving Ryu more of a boost to his strength and determination through her loving words. Rem had become an important part of Ryu's life, and a large factor in his Determination's return. Her opinion mattered to him quite a bit now. Especially after…

" _Because… you're my Hero, Ryu-kun!"_

A hero? Not until he killed Petelgeuse and avenged all those who had died because of the insane Archbishop. Not until he had killed Petelgeuse and released his old friend from his insanity. Not until he had taken back the Sloth Factor. Not until he had killed the Beast of Gluttony.

_His journey to become a true hero would be a long one. It would be a long time until he could see himself as a True Hero._

"Ryu-sama." The Prince pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked at Wilhelm, who was now bowing to him. "I thank you. I offer you gratitude equal to that which I offer my lady, Duchess Crusch Karsten." The man straightened up his posture right afterward. "I am sure that you are aware, but if I may introduce myself… My family name is Astrea. I took the former Sword Saint, Theresia van Astrea, as my wife, giving me the honor of the bloodline's lowest seat. That is who I, Wilhelm van Astrea, am. I thank you for so kindly granting this old man the opportunity to slay the loathsome Mabeast that took my wife." Wilhelm bowed again, as Ryu processed all of this… and then immediately played it off like he knew what was up.

"Oh, right! Sure! I knew that!" Ryu said, his eyes flashing a dull blue as everyone instantly caught onto his pride-based lie and called him out on it.

"Ryu, the winds of untruth are coming from you," Crusch said in a somewhat amused tone, as Ryu nervously laughed. Whoops.

* * *

It was now late into the night, and Ryu was watching over the preparations for the battle against the White Whale. If he was being honest, he was somewhat unnerved about the idea of fighting the Beast of Gluttony, as now with the help of **Black Warp** and the tales from the people did he realize that the Beast was able to change cause and effect and 'erase' people from history. A strange ability, but one that matched what he saw in one of the previous timelines. He sighed as he raised his hands, forcing himself to practice using the new mysterious power of his.

Ever since he had left the Alestian Island, he felt much stronger. He felt like he could fell an entire forest of trees with a single strike… yet that was pathetic compared to his peak's strength, where he was able to damage a God with 'Infinite' power. He doubted he could get there again, since he needed godlike Determination levels to do that, and right now his soul had only regained its strength. He was far from that level of potency.

Amount didn't equal potency after all.

Ryu watched as his power shifted, allowing him to create whatever weapons he wished. It was malleable, just like Hate's power, but unlike Hate… he didn't feel like he was being corrupted or losing his humanity the more he used it. "Whatcha doin'?" He heard from behind him, as he turned to see Felix.

"Oh, Felix. I'm just messing around with my new abilities, trying to get used to them before the big fight. Gotta make sure to use every ability at my disposal, right?" Ryu smiled at the catboy, secretly forming a SAVE point behind him and crushing it to turn this into his new checkpoint in case anything at all went wrong.

"Hey, Ryu, look around. Can't you see it in nyall their faces?" Felix said as Ryu did just do that, looking at all of the men that Crusch had gathered. He recognized at least half of them to be people he had trained to use Soul Magic personally. "Nyot a single one is preparing unwillingly. Everyone wants to be rid of the White Whale, especially Old Man Wil."

Ryu looked over at the man, who was looking over a sword in his hands and testing it out by flowing his Perseverance magic into the blade, enchanting it and strengthening it before nodding; as if deeming the sword suitable for his usage in battle. "...He said it took his wife?"

"Yeah." Felix nodded in affirmation. "He's been chasing after the White Whale all this time, ever since it killed the former Sword Saint, his wife."

"..." How did a beast pull a feat like that off? Ryu's memories as Flugel were still fuzzy and he was still trying to sort things out, but he remembered one thing. Sword Saints were terrifying bastions of strength. For the White Whale to kill the former Sword Saint… it just seemed hard to believe.

"Anyways, you should think about getting some rest," Felix commented, as he walked off. "Don't want to see you be too tired to do anything, especially when you keep calling yourself our 'Trump Card'." Ryu's left eye twitched briefly from the teasing tone, before sighing. The knight did have a point there. But still…

He looked over at Wilhelm, his eyes softening. He could understand this man's rage and thirst for revenge… and would do anything to help him kill this beast, and find closure.

* * *

" **Ne, Austin…"** The Hate Origin looked away from his host's soul and over to Ryushi, who was currently boredly playing 'Go Fish' against a clone he had manifested. " **Why're you so obsessed with those Threads?"**

" _ **The Threads, hm?"**_ Austin refocused back on Ryu's soul, which was beating stronger and brighter than before, with multiple strings and threads attached to it. " _ **Well, you know how strong someone can be if they accept the love of their soulmates, or vice-versa. Ryu accepted Rem's love, and now I see a large increase in his power as I expected. Not to mention the strength he gained from his Bloodline awakening."**_

" **You do realize Blaze is alive, right?"**

" _ **I do, yes. But it's best we keep that a secret for the time being until Ryu's soul fully recuperates. Besides…"**_ Austin turned to Ryushi, 'smiling' slightly. Or, well, the best an Eldritch Abomination blob could do for a smile. " _ **Isn't it a good idea to let him have a bit of respite?"**_ At that, Ryushi looked up with a smile.

" **Yeah… you're right."** After winning the game, Ryushi put down his cards and reabsorbed his clone, walking over to the soul as well. " **It's peculiar. We didn't have these Soulmates as Flugel, but when we were summoned here by** _ **Envy**_ **, Ryu ended up with all these more Soulmates."**

" _ **Where this takes Ryu is a mystery. Let's discover the future together, brother."**_

* * *

It was now the next day, and Felix had led Ryu out for a very particular task… "You mean I get to pick my own Ground Dragon?" He asked Felix, as the catboy knight seemed somewhat offended.

"What is it nyow? Don't you like them?" Felix protested as Ryu looked over each one.

"I'm glad you're letting me borrow one, but I'm still studying stuff! I have no idea what makes a Ground Dragon good, we didn't have these guys back home!" Ryu said, walking around and looking over every Ground Dragon. "Does it look like I know what… to… do…" He paused in front of one specific Ground Dragon, staring into her golden eyes. He then slowly reached out, almost on instinct, as the Ground Dragon then leaned into his touch. A small smirk came to his face. "I think I've found my pick," Ryu announced proudly.

"I'm surprised," Rem said, as he looked over at his… love? Jeez, he really needed to figure out how things were going to work out soon, if only for the sake of his sanity. "That Ground Dragon's breed is known for its extreme pride."

"Pride, hm?" He could sense it in this Ground Dragon, a faint connection. Ryu knew this one was strong and loyal, just from a single look. "I think we're going to get along well enough." In his joy at finding the perfect Ground Dragon to complement his own strengths and personality, he didn't notice how Rem and Patrasche were now glaring at each other. Double whoops.

* * *

A while later, Ryu was led back inside to wait for the eventual journey to Flugel's Tree (he had no idea how to feel about that). He looked around, watching knights intermingle and laugh amongst each other with a smile on his face. He always loved watching the camaraderie of warriors and knights, allies and friends. He then felt a large hand grasp his head, and he looked up to see a large demihuman man, specifically a beastman. "Heya brat! My lady was tellin' me about you. You're the star of this little show, aren't ya?" The man grinned, as Ryu looked at the logo on his pauldron.

"You work for Anastasia… you're her mercenary group, aren't you? A member of the Iron Fang." Ryu realized as the man grinned even more.

"Not just that! I'm Ricardo, head of her mercenary team." He greeted, before shifting his attention to Rem (whilst still gripping Ryu's head tightly. He didn't mind much but it was mildly annoying). "Nice to meet you, too, lil' lady!"

"Ricardo, can you please let me go?" Ryu desperately asked, not wanting to deal with a sprained neck from how this large beastman was currently manhandling him. Ricardo ended up leaving and throwing him aside once he apparently saw Anastasia, with Ryu wincing as he held his neck. "That stung a little…" He hissed, before hearing metal behind him.

"So that's the pride of Anastasia Hoshin, the Iron Fang. They seem quite strong." He heard Crusch's voice say, as he turned to face her. She was now wearing steel armor that had gold trimmings on her upper body, along with brown gloves and a red cape. Her hair was also tied into a ponytail. Crusch smiled over in his direction. "I hope you rested well."

"I did, thanks. I mean, I did spend most of last night testing the ins and outs of my powers, along with getting back into my swordsmanship flow; but aside from that I slept like a child with no care in the world!" He raised a thumbs up, as Crusch softly laughed before a surprised look appeared on her face.

"Ryu, I'm surprised you aren't wearing armor or anything protective," Crusch said, as Ryu blinked.

"Eh? Oh, yeah…" He laughed moments later, calming down after he had let out his amusement. "I don't need armor. It'll just get in the way of my flow. Plus, I'm durable enough as it is."

"Is that so?" Crusch raised an amused eyebrow, as Ryu flexed his right arm with a grin.

"Yep! You saw my memories, didn't you? I'm way more durable than I was in the past as a kid now!" He answered, before growing more serious. "I will be going first though, into the battle. Due to my circumstances and abilities, I should be able to help weaken the White Whale to make the battle easier for us so we end up with few casualties." Ryu then saw she was about to comment on what he said, so he elaborated. "Crusch, I'm not dumb. A fight against the White Whale is risky since their strength is something that hasn't been seen… and no one survived fighting it yet. I'm just being realistic."

"I suppose you're right about that…" Crusch eventually admitted, just as the doors to the room opened up with more armored men coming in. "They're here." Ryu shifted his gaze to the armored men, as they stopped in front of him and Crusch, their gazes respectful.

"Crusch-sama, we have arrived." The man in front said, before looking at Ryu. "And if I'm not mistaken, you are…"

"Prince Ryutensei James Henderson-Shock, Royal Candidate in the Royal Selection and organizer of this event. Well, partially, that is." Ryu introduced himself, as the man walked over and placed his arms on his shoulders.

"Thank you, Ryu-sama. Thanks to you, our wish may come true. We could not be happier." The man said, before all the soldiers that came with him bowing in respect to both him and Crusch. They then all left in a single file line to convene with the rest of the forces against the White Whale. Ryu then looked over at Crusch.

"I'm willing to say those men also have a history with the Whale," Ryu commented.

"Yes," Crusch confirmed, "many are men who have retired from the front lines. They have joined our subjugation force at Wilhelm's invitation. Their morale and experience are comparable to those of the capital's active knights." Just then, Felix walked over.

"Crusch-sama, it's time," Felix said, as Crusch's attention finally shifted.

"Ah, right." She nodded, before looking back at Ryu. "You're welcome to come up with me. We are equals, after all." Crusch said, as Ryu blinked and eventually nodded, a faint smile coming to his face.

"Four hundred years," Crusch began her speech, with Felix, Rem, and Wilhelm standing behind her. Ryu was standing right by her side, with his Amulet currently equipped and hidden under his jacket. Using the godsend of an ability that was his **Interface** , he was able to **Check** the Amulet and see what it could do. Apparently, it was an ancient Alestian royal relic passed down from generation to generation and unlocked the powers of half-breed Alestians like him. Useful, especially since now his body had a powerful forcefield-like barrier around him to reduce the damage he took by 40%. "It has been four hundred years since the White Whale, created by the Witch of Envy, made the world its hunting ground, trampling the weak and dominating the land as if it were its owner."

Huh, he didn't remember that from his memories. Then again, they were jumbled, but he remembered neither Satella nor the Authority of Envy being able to do something like that. Regardless of his confusion, he paid close attention to Crusch's speech. "Countless lives have been lost in that time. Given its fog's unscrupulous nature, as well, the number of graves we cannot even inscribe with names will only rise. But those days of sitting idle end today!" Crusch said, her voice powerful and carrying across the room with ease. "Today, those of us here will end it! We shall strike down the White Whale, and stop further tragedy! We shall give the sorrow, which was never allowed to come to pass, a chance to shed overdue tears!" Crusch slammed her sheathed sword against the floor, causing a large _clang_ to echo in the room. "We move out! Our destination is Flugel's Tree, on the Lifaus Highway! Tonight, we shall slay the White Whale with our own hands!" She drew her sword, as it began to glow with power. Her words gave every knight in the room a morale boost, as they released a bellowing war cry.

* * *

The journey to his Tree would be long, Ryu knew that. He was letting Rem handle Patrasche (he instinctually knew her name and didn't know how; eventually decided to chalk it up to some sort of soul link or something similar) since he didn't know how to yet. Which he should totally look into once this was all over, since he couldn't be a King Candidate and not know how to manage a Ground Dragon. Two demihumans riding wolf-like creatures appeared next to them, just behind Teymin (who was also accompanying them, to Ryu's somewhat worry. He didn't want to see his friend get hurt).

"Hi, hi! I'm Mimi! Glad to know ya!" Mimi (re)introduced herself, her tone just as cheerful and excitable as Ryu remembered it to be in the old timeline.

"My name is Hetaro. Nice to meet you." The other demihuman calmly greeted, as he could see a stark difference between them. Likely siblings.

"Yep, nice to meet you too." Ryu smiled slightly. ' _I didn't really want to doubt it, but… I guess she really was Anastasia's second-in-command.'_ Ryu thought, keeping his mild surprise to himself. "I'm sure you all know me by now, with the Royal Selection and all, but I'm Ryutensei. I prefer to be called Ryu, though. You two are siblings, right?"

"Yes, my big sister and I will do our-"

"When Mimi and Hetaro are together, we're the strongest!" Mimi excitably interrupted her brother, amusing Ryu endlessly. "And the Captain's also here, so we're the super strongest!" She fell backwards, as Hetaro was forced to keep her upright so she didn't just fall off of her ride.

"Um, my sister and the captain tend to be a little rash, so I usually give the orders." Hetaro added, while his sister continued to chant 'strongest'.

"I see…"

"What's the matter with you, bro? You're awfully tense!" Ryu looked to the side and saw Ricardo move over to him, also riding one of the wolf-like creatures. He knew these creatures didn't hail from Lugunica, meaning they were likely from Kararagi, just like Anastasia.

"Hey, we're about to challenge a beast that's been terrorizing your lands for centuries! I think I get to be a little tense!" Ryu retorted as Ricardo laughed.

"Ya ain't a little tense though! You look like you'll end up snapping if something sneaks up on ya! Loosen up a bit, man!" Ricardo said, bringing a small smile to Ryu's face.

"Yeah, whatever. What are you guys even riding, though?" He asked curiously.

"They're called Rigers." Ricardo informed him. "Ya won't see 'em too often in these parts though. They ain't as strong as Ground Dragons, but they're far more agile. If it comes to a brawl against the Whale, that's when they'll really shine, so watch close; alright little boss man?"

' _Little boss man?'_ Ryu thought incredulously, as Ricardo rushed off, before shaking it off. Best not to overthink things. He watched as the man went around, bringing smiles to those around them and lightening the tension.

"It looks like Ricardo-sama is trying to ease everyone's nerves." Rem softly said as Ryu fell deep into thought to plan things internally. Rem looked over at him. "Ryu-kun, are you alright? You seem to have returned to being tense."

"Eh?" Ryu snapped out of it moments later, as he grinned. "Nah, I was just thinking. Trying to be a True Hero has a different meaning for me. I've met a True Hero before, and I'm trying to tap into her mindset to keep myself on my feet."

_Undyne was his ideal of a true hero._

_Undyne was relentless._

_Undyne was strong._

_Undyne was ready to sacrifice herself to save others._

If he wanted to be a true hero, to be able to claim a title such as hers, he would need to earn it over time. This was just step one. Felling a beast of evil.

* * *

It was now night. Ryu found himself unable to relax as he continually checked his **Interface** , his stats, everything. He wanted to be sure he was ready for battle.

* * *

_**Name: Ryutensei** _

_**Soul: Determination/Justice Hybrid (Peace) + HATE** _

_**LOVE: 3** _

_**HP: 43** _

_**Max HP (Current): 43** _

_**ATK: 30 (+100)** _

_**DEF: 30 (+100)** _

_**EXP Value: 31** _

_**GOLD: 1,960** _

_**Lugunican Currency: 0** _

_**Kills: 9 (1 Human, 8 Wolgarm)** _

_**Equipment: Aicenfall (Sage's Sword), Alestian Amulet** _

_**Traits: Justice, Determination, Bravery, Integrity, (limited) Kindness** _

_**Abilities: Black Warp, Peaceful Aura, Alestian Aura, Black Lightning. Others locked due to lack of Determination Potency.** _

* * *

Ryu sighed. This was the best he could do for now, so he would roll with it. He created another SAVE point and crushed it in preparation for the battle against the White Whale, setting Flugel's Tree as his save point. But even still… He looked up at the large tree, a hint of pride entering him. He planted this ginormous thing… even though he wondered how it got its nutrients to get that big. Probably mana absorption, though that brought more concerning questions. "Ryu-kun, I know that look. You're overthinking something, aren't you?" Rem asked as Ryu laughed.

"You know me too well, Rem!" He cheerfully said, before jumping off of the tree's roots. He then brought up his **Interface** one final time, this time to check his **Snap** and the time of the Whale's appearance in the last timeline. He also pulled out Frisk's… _his_ cellphone to make sure the time set on both were the same, so the alarm would work as intended.

"That's going to inform you of the Whale's appearance, right?" Rem asked as he nodded.

"Yeah… looks like everything's in order." He looked up, as he felt something pull him in a certain direction. The pull of fate and curiosity, as he walked around the tree with Rem and found Wilhelm behind it, staring at a field of yellow flowers. "Wilhelm… I heard the story from Felix. How this beast took your wife, and how you've been searching for revenge ever since."

Please forget that." Wilhelm said, still staring at the field of flowers. "It was all time idly spent in an old man's delusions."

"You truly love your wife, do you not?" Rem asked, as Wilhelm finally turned around.

"Yes, I love my wife." He said, a firm tone in his voice. "More than anyone. And no matter how much time passes. My wife was a woman who loved to look at flowers." He returned his gaze to the field, his eyes softening by a fraction. "She never wished to wield a sword, but the sword loved her more than anyone. With no choice but to live for the sword, my wife accepted her fate. When I married her, I took it from her, forcing her to abandon the title of 'Sword Saint'. But the sword would not allow her to do that…" He looked at Ryu again, smiling slightly and bowing. "Ryu-sama, I thank you again. In this battle, I can find answers in my own sword. And perhaps I will finally be able to visit my wife's grave. At last, I can go and see her."

Ryu's eyes gained a determined look, as he walked over and put his hand out. "Wilhelm, I promise to do whatever it takes to help you kill this vile beast. Your wife will be avenged." He swore, as Wilhelm took his offered hand and shook it, a faint smile coming to his face.

Mere hours later, Ryu was on guard, his hand constantly twitching and ready to fight the White Whale. He knew it was almost time, and he was feeling… anxious. No, not just anxious. He was waiting for the White Whale to arrive, so the highly anticipated fight could begin. So the tension in his body would finally fade.

Then, his phone finally began to ring, the alarm set on it finally activating as Ryu's nerves finally reached an all-time high. His hand went to touch his hidden sword, Aicenfall, trailing against the snowflake insignia on its hilt. "It's time." He said to Crusch, as he turned to face her.

"Troops! Be on guard!" Crusch commanded as every soldier prepared for the Whale's appearance. The troops began to murmur and worry as the time passed, looking around to find the Whale, before…

"Over there!" One of the men pointed out, as Ryu looked behind him to see the White Whale flying through the air, its crimson eyes glowing menacingly. No intelligence behind it, nor any type of thought. Only malice. The beast flew right over them, as Ryu's eyes narrowed with determination. It was time.

"Troops-"

"Let's go!" Ryu yelled out, as Rem shot out a quick _Al Huma_ spell to throw out jagged spears of ice at the Whale. Ryu snapped his fingers, crimson knives forming en masse and piercing the White Whale, blood falling to the floor from the 'small' puncture wounds formed on its skin. Crusch stared for a moment before a smirk came to her face.

"Troops! Follow that man into battle!" She commanded as the soldiers all ran after Patrasche and the duo with a powerful war cry.

_The battle against the White Whale had begun._

In the back, lagmite canons shot off beacons of explosive energy that impacted into the Whale, irritating it as Ryu began to think, looking for any weaknesses in the beast. "Ryu, they're about to fire the Night Banisher. We should close our eyes." Rem recommended as Ryu blinked, only now remembering that information and closing his eyes. The resulting explosion was enough to create artificial sunlight for the area, as Ryu opened his eyes and smirked. Now he could see much better.

The Whale finally opened its eyes moments later, finally getting over its stunned state as it looked around, before looking down upon the army. Its eyes narrowed before it opened its mouth and released a large bellow that shook the ground below it and kicked up dust clouds from the sheer power of the sound. "...Ryu, how are you feeling?" Rem asked, as Ryu's smirk only grew.

"I'm scared. Scared of the popularity I'll gain once this is over, that is." He shifted his gaze to Teymin. "You stay in the back, girl. Act as support. Give people the **Purified** stuff we worked on making, but only if it's absolutely necessary." He commanded the Wolgarm, who yipped and ran off to do as her owner wished. "Now, let's get this over with!" Ryu's eyes narrowed as he channeled the power of Hate, a faint black aura radiating off of him. The White Whale looked down at them as they ran off on Patrasche, before flying right at them at shocking speeds. Ryu was ready to attack it with **Black Warp** but didn't get a chance to as the beast was stunned by a wind blade striking into it, a large gash now covering its face.

Ryu looked back to see Crusch with her sword drawn, the weapon glowing green with Wind Mana. "You greatly underestimate us if you think you can look away so carelessly, beast." She said as the canons in the back began firing yet again, assaulting the Whale from all sides with beams of energy. Once the Great Mabeast finally had enough and started charging at it, Crusch called for a dispersal. The troops went in two different directions, with Wilhelm charging right at it on his Ground Dragon. He jumped off it moments later, as Ryu's eyes narrowed, forming Integrity Platforms right into the floor to give Wilhelm a boost in speed and strength when he inevitably jumped.

"For fourteen long years, I have dreamed for nothing but this day," Wilhelm said to himself, his eyes closed. He then opened them moments later, a ferocious light in them as he glared at the White Whale. "Fall here, and leave your corpse behind." He waited for moments, until the Whale was mere meters away from him, to finally jump into the air. His strength was augmented by Ryu's Integrity magic for those moments, as he drew one of his swords and enchanted it with his magic. "Like the monster you are, die!" He then stabbed right into the beast, blood flying once his sword pierced its defenses.

Ryu watched from afar as he saw a faint white glow around the White Whale, the glow of magic. Soul Magic, in particular… but it wasn't natural. It was given unnaturally, injected into it. He now knew… if he didn't teach these people Soul Magic, they would have all been unable to pierce the defense around it.

The Whale began to thrash around in pain as Wilhelm continued to cut into it with his swords, ignoring the defense of the aura around it. "How wonderfully cooperative of you, coming here to be slain!" The 'Sword Demon' slashed at the White Whale, his swords cutting through it like a knife going through melted butter. Eventually, the beast bucked back, flinging Wilhelm off of it, but his Ground Dragon rushed in and caught him just in time to avoid being eaten. Ricardo then rushed in, slashing at the beast with his greatsword.

The troops continued to attack it, as Crusch drew her sword and prepared the technique she was working on since Ryu taught her how to use her Soul's magic. "Let's test this out, shall we? Troops, fall back!" She commanded, before drawing her sword back as it gave off a bright white glow. She enchanted her sword with Wind Mana, just as she did when preparing her 'Hundred Man Sword Strike', but this time; she added something extra. Perseverance Magic. " **Infinity Slash**!" She called out as she struck her sword through the air, sending a ripple of magic through the air… that caused the White Whale to not only visibly flinch, but cave in from its strength, blood exploding from its wound. "Fire! Aim at its flank!" She commanded her troops, with the magic-users in the back prepared their spells.

" **Al Goa** / **Fire**!" The mixture of Anastasia's demihuman mages and Crusch's trained **Bravery** mages shouted simultaneously, with orange flames shooting from their palms and impacting right into the flying Whale. It was then when Ryu raised his hand, a storm forming in the sky, just around the area, but not entering the area where the Night Banisher had affected. Lightning formed and shot right into Ryu's hand, where he then jumped into the air and pointed his hand downwards.

" **Black Lightning**!" He roared, as a black stream of electricity shot from his extended right hand, and exploded on impact with the White Whale, where Ryu then fell moments later and fell… Right back onto Teymin's back. He petted the large, now True Form Wolgarm as he smiled. "Good girl, thanks for catching me." He praised his pet, before glaring up at the White Whale, knowing it survived the explosion. Nothing was that easy.

"Looks like we used all our best attacks from the get-go," Ricardo commented, as Ryu looked over in the beastman's direction. "If that doesn't make it fall, then it's a lot tougher than we first thought." Ryu bit his lip at those words, knowing that the White Whale wasn't naturally this strong. It was stronger than it was supposed to be… because someone had tampered with it, somehow, and gave it a limited amount of Soul Magic. They just needed to get rid of that first, and the Whale would be a more tolerable fight.

"Its white hair scatters mana and neutralizes force. My magic was not as effective as it appeared earlier." Rem explained as she and Patrasche ran over. Just then, Crusch commanded the beacons to fire again, as more attacks were hurled at the White Whale from the canons.

"Time for round two then," Ricardo grinned over in his direction. "Show me what you've got, little boss man. Alright everybody, let's do this! Hack away at its remaining strength!" Ricardo's squad then rushed off on their Ligers, with Ryu's gaze constantly shifting across the battlefield, planning multiple strategies at once and discarding each one mere moments later as his mind made a better one.

"I can see you seem really focused, and I don't want to bother you…" Ryu heard as he looked over to see Felix. "But when exactly are you gonna use that strange ability of yours to summon up more weapons?"

"I can't just repeatedly use that forever, there's a minor cooldown on its usage along with a heavy drain on the power it uses to source its strength," Ryu explained, as his eyes narrowed on the beast. "I can bypass that with enough Determination, but I'll need time to build that up."

"Isn't there anything you can use in the meantime while you build it up?" Felix asked as Ryu's eyes widened. Now he thought of it… His hand went to his hidden, sheathed sword as he drew Aicenfall.

"Y'know what, Felix? You're right!" He looked over at Rem as he jumped off of Teymin. "Rem, swap with me for a moment, will you? I need Patrasche if I'm going to pull this off!"

"Right!" Rem nodded, as they traded, but not before Ryu patted the Oni maid's head with a small loving smile on his face. Ryu got back on Patrasche and had her charge right at the White Whale, forming Integrity Platforms on the floor as it ran through the air, before jumping off the final one and gaining a lot of airtime. He brought Aicenfall back in preparation to attack, landing on a platform just as Wilhelm fell from the beast, forming an Integrity Platform yet again. Ricardo noticed it and hit the barrier right at Wilhelm, who pushed off of it just as it shattered from the force acting upon it, giving him a considerable boost.

Wilhelm began to cut into the beast's eye, as it then fell right onto the floor, where he then stabbed it with his sword and jumped off of it. He raised the punctured eye to the sky, a faint smirk on his face. "Miserable… witchfiend."

"What's that?"

"Something's off…"

Ryu's eyes narrowed as he picked up on the conversations down below using his connection to Teymin. Something was changing, and he could see it from here. That's why he was up here, to get an upper view of the battlefield and assess what to do. He watched as the Whale's remaining eye turned a bright blood red, with the aura of Monster magic finally fading… but the vague scent of Corruption radiating off of it. He watched it's body opened up to reveal… holes that strange, teeth-like things in them. They began to spin and hum, just as the White Whale opened its maw to release another mindnumbing roar.

"That's about enough. **Ice's Fall**." Ryu coldly said as he slashed his blade through the air, a wave of pure cold, pressurized air slicing through the air and right through the Whale's right fin. It distracted the beast enough to stop whatever it was doing as it writhed in pain through the air, giving the Prince more time to think as he shot a thread of **Hate** at the floor and used it to pull him and Patrasche back to the ground, landing right next to Crusch.

"What did you do?" Crusch asked Ryu curiously, as his red and yellow-green eyes narrowed, glaring at the beast.

"I don't know if I'm being honest. I have no idea what it was planning, but I've learned letting beasts like them start doing something that takes time is a bad idea." Ryu then took charge of the army. "All those with ranged attacks, please release your strength now! We cannot let the enemy recuperate!"

"Right!" Ryu heard multiple voices shout at once, as the soldiers who had ranged attacks and spell began to unleash them upon the Whale, giving it no time to use whatever power it had in its arsenal. Of course, at some point, it had enough of that and released another wailing shockwave that kicked up dust in everyone's eyes.

Taking that time, it released its Fog, covering the area in dense smoke. Once Ryu opened his eyes, he gritted his teeth in annoyance. He needed to figure out a way to attach himself to more people so he could keep track of the battlefield. He continued to think, dodging attacks and the smoke of pressurized Fog coming towards him. " _Teymin!"_ He internally commanded his Wolgarm, tapping into the **Hate** he had given her. " _Give Crusch a small sliver of the_ _ **Purified Hate**_ _you've made!"_

Moments later, he felt it, a connection to another being; that allowed him to see things on the battlefield more clearly from Crusch's perspective. Pushing that to the back of his mind, he brought back the rest of the unpurified **Hate** in Teymin to reabsorb it for usage with his… " **Black Warp**!" He called out, as the Fog around him twisted and warped… before eventually dispersing altogether.

"Ryu!" He heard as he looked up to see Crusch's grateful expression. "Thank you for dispersing some of the Fog." She then looked around. "How many men have we lost?"

"My unit has twelve men left." One of the battalion leaders said. "We're short three."

"Who was lost?" Crusch asked as Ryu felt dread creep down his spine.

"I don't know." The man looked down as Ryu grit his teeth. He knew there would be casualties, but he didn't expect it to be this early into the fight! This Whale… was persistent, to say the least.

"I have fourteen men left," Another reported. "One deserted. I'm missing six. I'm sorry." Ryu's eyes briefly flashed with **Hate** before he calmed down. He needed to sparingly use his Hate to ensure he had enough magic to use **Black Warp**. He then turned around when he heard more men approach from the back.

"Forgive my haste," Wilhelm said as he came from behind them, leading a mixture of Anastasia's mercenaries and Crusch's troops. "What's our damage?"

"A total of twenty-one men. An entire platoon of soldiers have been wiped out…" Crusch said, as Ryu knew… that no one would know who those brave soldiers were. No one but… him. "It won't even be possible to properly protect the honor of the lost." Ryu could see Wilhelm's grip on his sword tighten, a steely gaze in his eyes. Crusch continued to command her soldiers. "Now that its in the fog, we won't know whence it will attack. Staying grouped up is the worst thing we can do. Disperse immediately!"

Just as Crusch said that a shrill cry echoed from around them. Ryu could feel it panging against his mind momentarily, but disperse just as quickly as it came. Unnerved, he covered his ears as he looked around. "What is that?" Crusch looked around in a panic, as Ryu tried to figure out what the Whale was doing. He then witnessed a man fall off his Ground Dragon and to the floor, covering his ears in pain as he screamed. The man began to scratch at his face, and Ryu panicked as he then put his hands out and began to try healing the man and soothing him with a mixture of his **Kindness** magic and his **Peaceful Aura** , He began to eventually calm down and sleep, as Ryu then got up and rushed over to Rem.

"Rem, how are you feeling?" He asked the maid, concerned for the woman who pulled him out of his dark spot. He reached out and touched her hand, as she smiled at him weakly.

"I'll be fine now, thank you Ryu-kun." She said softly, as Ryu silently transferred a dormant and weak portion of Purified **Hate** into her. To better her chances of being able to shrug off the effects of this mind-affecting Fog. Felix rushed over to him, as Ryu looked at the somewhat frantic knight.

"Ryu-kyun, I saw what you did with that soldier back there! Can you help me out by doing that more?" He asked, as Ryu eventually nodded and went around, helping calm down soldiers and putting them to sleep before they could harm themselves more. The whole time, he was on guard, ready to act if he saw the White Whale. Eventually, the tension finally got the better of Ryu as he shot to his feet. He had done enough healing in his own eyes, right now he needed to end this.

"Crusch, I'm going to buy us some time! Have everyone regroup!" He said to her, before rushing off and not giving Crusch a chance to question him. "Rem! I'm gonna need you to keep an eye on me in case my **Hate** gets the best of me, so forgive me for bringing you right into the danger zone." He apologized as he jumped onto Patrasche's back again, and reaching out his hand to the girl. Rem nodded as she accepted the hand and climbed on, with Ryu looking at Teymin. "I'll need you to stay with Crusch and the others, alright girl?" He asked the Wolgarm, who nodded and rushed off in a hurry.

"Ryu, you don't need to apologize. I'll follow you anywhere." Rem said, warming the young man's heart before he narrowed his eyes and took off on Patrasche.

"Ryu, wait! The Fog-"

Ryu closed his eyes, as he tapped right into his soul, thinking of Austin's **Hate**. Not the Hate he had been taking and manufacturing, purifying with Teymin's help. No, the true primordial essence of the **Hate Origin**. He thought of tapping into it, mining it like a miner mined for precious gems and metals. He then opened his eyes, the whites of them disappearing as an almost demonic look appeared on his face. " **Full Release: Hate!** " A thick aura of hatred surrounded him, coating him in the 'evil' scent of the primordial Hate. What he didn't expect was for something to change just as he did so. Not only did he get the strength boost from releasing the power of Hate into his mortal body… he also noticed how time had stopped briefly. Dark mist curled around the edges of his vision, as a familiar presence loomed over him briefly.

Once the effect wore off, did he realize Satella had indirectly helped him by making him look like more of a treat to the White Whale. Well, when he said it like that, ' _help'_ sounded subjective. Oh well. He then smirked once he saw the Whale's figure appear in front of them, its maw opened. Rem was prepared, as was he. They raised their hands together and performed a joint spell. " _Ul Huma!"_ They called out, two spears of ice jutting out of the floor and stabbing the White Whale… only for it to disappear like it was never there. Ryu's eyes widened, as he drew Aicenfall instinctively and slashed upward, just as Wilhelm came from above and slashed downward into the beast. Blood flew everywhere, with Hetaro and Mimi then jumping up behind them on Rigers.

"Sis, together!" Hetaro commanded, as they both drew in a lot of air and released it as a large pressurized blast of Wind Magic, exploding on impact with the White Whale. Ricardo then jumped onto the distracted whale and cut into it with his greatsword, destroying its pores as he went. The Whale screeched as more pores opened up, but it continued to follow and chase after Ryu, just as the Prince wanted it to.

"Looking away from me, are you? How cold." Wilhelm said from atop the Whale. "And here I spent the last fourteen years utterly mad for you!" He stabbed the White Whale with his sword, easily piercing its defenses with his enchanted blades. He then jumped into the air and drew another sword, landing on the beast's back.

"This is startin' to get fun," Ricardo said from atop the whale, holding his greatsword and hanging it off of his shoulder. "It's sturdier than expected, but now I know we can certainly handle this!"

"No, it's putting up less of a fight than it should." Wilhelm disagreed, slashing at the beast's back. "I find it hard to believe that this Mabeast got the better of my wife, a Sword Saint. The fact we got the jump on it, and that it didn't use its Fog to disperse our forces to begin with-" Just then, the Whale tilted upwards, causing the two men on its back to fall. "I'll take a parting gift on my way out then!" Wilhelm gritted his teeth, slashing at the Whale's other fin and cutting it clean off, just as his Ground Dragon caught him again.

Ryu then convened back with Wilhelm, a faint smirk on his face. "Hey, looks like the lessons on magic I gave you are really coming in handy today, hm?"

"I suppose they have." Wilhelm smiled back, before growing serious. "But we should stay alert, Ryu-sama. We don't know from which direction it will attack from." At the man's words, Ryu looked around, before his instincts flared up.

"Disperse!" Ryu commanded, as the men around them immediately did so, just in time to narrowly avoid the Fog falling from above. He sheathed Aicenfall instantly and summoned his Sword of Determination, slicing with the weapon and sending arcs of red energy to slice in what he assumed to be the Whale's direction. A prickling sensation then crept up Ryu's back as he turned to Wilhelm, only to see a large maw coming in to swallow the man whole. It dispersed dirt, stone, everything in its path, just to bring Wilhelm into its monstrous mouth and eat him.

But the Whale didn't stop there, as it charged right at him, with Ryu's eyes widening in panic. He formed a hasty **Spherical Kindness Shield** around him, Rem, and Patrasche; which shattered on impact with the beast, sending the Prince flying as he eventually hit the ground and looked up. "Thank goodness for Aura dampening all damage I take…" He weakly laughed… before realizing that there were three White Whales above him. "Wait… what the actual fuck?"

* * *

Ryu could feel it. The utter despair amongst the soldiers, the willingness to give up. They saw a hopeless situation amongst the fact there were three White Whales now, but Ryu wasn't. He was too stubborn now to just cave in. He knew that Wilhelm could be saved and that they could win, but only if they acted fast. "Everyone!" He instantly called out, getting the attention of the army. "We can't give in now! We have lost too much to do so! Brave lives that fought hard to get us this far!" He pointed up at the Whale that swallowed Wilhelm. "We can't let it swallow him! As long as he isn't swallowed, we can save him and figure out a way to salvage this situation! You are warriors who have waited for this day, right? SHOW ME YOUR RESOLVE THEN!" He then rushed off, climbing back onto Patrasche as he looked up, seeing Rem wail on one of the Whales with her morningstar.

Eventually, she fell, but Ryu rushed in and caught her in his arms with a smile. "Not so fast, Rem. You can't just run off like that, we need to stick together!" He glared up at the White Whales, feeling his strength slowly build up once he let the strength boost part of Austin's **Hate** fade, leaving only the scent for the time being. "I'm not giving up just yet, freaks! Bring on everything you've got!" He challenged them, an angry and determined look in his eyes.

Ryu then supported Rem up as she formed her Oni Horn, creating an Integrity Platform as she jumped off of it and into the air, landing on one of the White Whale's backs. He then smirked, as he patted Patrasche's neck. "Let's go, girl! Get me right under that damn Whale's nose!" He told the Ground Dragon, who instantly obliged by running off at full speed before he could properly prepare himself. The Whale Rem was attacking rushed at him from behind but was immediately struck back as Rem hit it with her morningstar.

"The only one who may sniff Ryu-kun is me!" She growled out, causing Ryu to feel a bit weird but he rolled with it. Rem was a sweet enough girl, he could ignore that. He then looked in front of him to notice another Whale blowing out Fog at him and panicked for a moment, as he didn't have enough **Hate** built up to use **Black Warp** again.

"Close your mouth!" Ryu heard as a wind blade knocked the Whale aside, with Crusch rushing up next to him on her own Ground Dragon. "At a glance, this situation seems dismal. Where is Wilhelm?"

"Well, since you remember him, obviously the Fog hasn't gotten to him. One of the Whales seems to have eaten him though, so we need to figure out a way to bring him out onto the battlefield again." Ryu sighed in exhaustion.

"Ryu, don't you find it weird?" Crusch began, as the white-and-red-haired Prince looked over in her direction. "There are now three White Whales. If this Mabeast actually lives in a group, how did we not know that until now?" At their words, Ryu's eyes widened, looking up at the beasts and noticing one was high above the clouds… not going down for anything… That had to be linked to all of this.

"Crusch, I recommend we all split up! You handle one of the Whales, I'll handle the other! I have a plan!" Ryu motioned for Patrasche to run off faster than before, as he activated his soulsight to find the exact Whale with Wilhelm inside. "There!" He pointed his hand out and charged his Mana up and infused it with his **Justice** Magic. " **JIWALD: JUDGEMENT ARC!"** He roared, as a beacon of heat shot from his hand, drilling a hole open on the top of the Whale just as Rem bashed into the Whale with her morningstar. His Spell hit the area Rem had hit directly as if they were thinking in unison even at a distance. From the hole, a bloodied and gloved hand came out… and then, the entirety of Wilhelm's body. Ryu immediately ran over and began to administer first aid to ensure he was alright with his limited **Kindness** Magic.

"Ryu-sama, it seems I have still much to learn." The man weakly said. "I was careless…" He then fell asleep, as Ryu sighed in relief. He wasn't dead, thankfully.

"Is he alright?" He heard Hetaro say, as he continued to watch over Wilhelm, Ryu's face covered in green light as a side-effect of using **Kindness** ' healing.

"Yeah, he'll be fine. But it'll be better to get him to Felix, he's the real medic around here. Even at my peak, I'd never be able to compare to Blue himself." He said to the brother-sister duo of Mimi and Hetaro.

"Of course! But what about you?" Hetaro asked as Ryu looked up, his red eye glowing brightly.

"I need to… do something."

* * *

"Are you serious? It divided?" Crusch asked Ryu, a stunned expression on her face as he nodded.

"Yeah, a lot of factors have got me convinced on that. From its fighting strength, to the left eye that Wilhelm gouged out. The real one is trying to avoid battle with us because it knows it's in danger." Ryu glared up at the floating White Whales in the sky.

"I do agree with your observation that these ones are weaker than the one we have previously engaged with," Crusch said, "But what good does knowing this do? Killing three White Whales is easier said than done."

"Even if we had the power to do so, we don't need to kill all of them." Ryu shook his head. "Just one is enough. The real one dies, and the rest go with it. And the real one is… right up there." He pointed at the White Whale all the way up top. "It's just hanging around, doing nothing but observing. Isn't that a bit suspicious?"

"I see your point, but… that's too far for even me to hit, I think." Crusch's grip on her sword tightened. "I cannot rely on my sword to hit from this distance. If I had one perfect strike, then it might be possible…"

"I have a plan. But it's definitely risky, and I recommend everyone to get back. In fact, there's a very small chance this works in the first place. You want in?" Ryu smirked slightly.

After explaining his plan, Crusch stared at him in shock. "You're insane… you don't actually think you can pull that off, do you?"

"We're already insane for taking on this thing, wouldn't you say?" Ryu chuckled, looking up at the Whale. "But this is the best plan I've got, sorry to say."

"Your life is most definitely at risk with this plan, Ryu. Are you sure you want to go through with it?" Crusch asked one final time, as he nodded firmly. "...If you're so sure, then I'm in. I will take your gamble." Crusch put her fist out, as Ryu bumped his against hers.

_A True Hero is always ready to sacrifice himself to save others._

"Time to make light of my powers, eh?!" Ryu grinned, as a bright light briefly exploded from his red eye. He put his right hand out, keeping his left hand on Patrasche's reins, as a crimson spear appeared in his extended hand. He threw it at the Whale in the air, forcing it to dodge and confirming his suspicions that it was the true Whale. None of the other Whales were so adamant about dodging. "Thanks for outing yourself, you idiot beast! **Black Warp**!"

Ryu felt it again, the shift of his reality as he disappeared, reappearing far in the air on an Integrity Platform he had summoned on a whim. He then smirked down at the floor, knowing his friends were fighting valiantly to help him pull off this gambit. "I made a promise, Wilhelm. I'll help you avenge your wife at any and all costs!" He then jumped off the platform, as he raised his hands, forming his Black Lightning again but this time infusing it with as much energy as he could and enhancing it further with **Black Warp**. "Down you go, vile beast!" Ryu thrust his left hand down, pointing it at the White Whale with an angry look on his face. " **ABSOLUTE VOLTAGE!** "

One moment, there was silence. The next, the sound of a massive thunderclap and the ground exploding as a large black lightning bolt struck the floor along with the true White Whale's form. The force of the earthquake was enough to cause Flugel's Tree to fall over ("OH NO MY TREE!", Ryu internally panicked) and then trap the Whale in place. Ryu continued to fall from the sky, his magic completely exhausted and unable to summon anything to help him, but he was caught as Rem jumped into the air and saved him from falling to the floor and breaking his bones.

What, fall damage wasn't gonna kill him in this state. He had survived falling from terminal velocity as a kid, this was nothing. Regardless, he was thankful as Rem gracefully landed on the floor, using **Kindness** shields as makeshift Integrity Platforms as she slowed their descent drastically.

Wilhelm, now finally back on his feet, walked over to the downed Whale as he prepared to take his revenge… He then sliced at the beast, blood spraying everywhere as he began to cut into it with a furious rage, as Ryu could feel his rage, his heartache, his love for his deceased wife. He raised his sword, enchanting it with Perseverance Magic as he looked down on the beast. "Sleep for all eternity." With those words, he plunged his sword deep into the White Whale, sending a ripple of power as it then exploded with blood from its open wounds. The beast eventually closed its eyes, as Ryu felt its soul finally shatter. It was dead. The clones, likewise, disappeared as they never truly 'existed'.

"It is finished… Theresia.." Wilhelm muttered to himself, looking upon the sunrise. "At last, Theresia. I can finally say it. My dear… I LOVE YOU! FOREVER!" The man cried out, bringing tears to Ryu's eyes upon seeing the emotional scene. Who knew… that true love was such a powerful drive?

"The White Whale has fallen!" Crusch announced to the army, as Ryu limped over in her direction, with Rem supporting him and him doing the same for her. "The Mabeast of Fog, which has terrorized our world for four centuries, has been struck down by Wilhelm van Astrea!" All the soldiers cheered simultaneously, as Ryu laughed weakly… before coughing heavily into his hand. He was noticing a correlation between his magic levels and his health recently, but for now, he just wanted to watch this joyous day. "This battle… is our victory!"

* * *

But joy could only last for so long before the pain of reality hits you. The people soon mourned those who had either died or were lost in the battle, even if they didn't remember who they were. Ryu himself, sat upon a hill, watching the sunrise as his body slowly repaired itself. "Are you alright, Ryu?" He heard Crusch say as she walked over in his direction, turning his head to look at her.

"More or less. A bit strained, but I'll live." Ryu shrugged, before smiling slightly. "I'm glad you're alright, Crusch."

"I am, thanks. But what you said about casualties was the truth, earlier." Crusch looked down, as did Ryu. "Our losses are not few. Even with the White Whale's defeat, those who have vanished will not return."

"...We did our best, Crusch. We cannot protect everyone, even if we wish we could." And even if Ryu went back with his saves, there was no guarantee that there was a way to save those who were lost today. And he had used his **Black Warp** to its limit today, meaning he couldn't attempt to 'fix' this.

"I suppose you are right, Ryu. It fits for the hero who brought down the White Whale, to be someone with a level head that sees the good in any situation." Crusch commented as Ryu looked over at her in surprise.

"Wait, what do you mean? Wil was the one who killed the thing." Ryu asked, as Crusch smiled and shook her head.

"That may be true, but if it wasn't for your quick thinking and your self-sacrificial plan, I doubt we would have been able to succeed today," Crusch said, slight admiration in her eyes. "How's your arm feeling in particular by the way?"

"I'll need to give it a few hours to heal up, really." Ryu sighed, looking at his left arm, which was colored red from the strain he had put on it with his overcharged Black Lightning technique. "But honestly, I don't deserve that title. Neither 'Hero', nor the one who brought down the Whale."

"There is no need for modesty here, Ryu," Crusch said. "In fact, I would love to welcome you to my household and reward your accomplishments and your kindness."

"Sorry, Crusch, but I think I'll have to put a raincheck on that." Ryu slowly got up, leaning on his right arm to help him do so as he looked at the Duchess that was his 'rival' in the elections, commonly called the 'War Goddess'. He smiled slightly, finding that title appropriate in his mind. "Crusch, I gotta say, you're an amazing person. I have a feeling if you won the Royal Selection, things wouldn't turn out bad for Lugunica at all. You're a capable leader. And if it wasn't for some complicating factors, I would have taken you up on your offer. But, right now I've got a lot on my plate."

' _Petelgeuse for one.'_ His eyes narrowed briefly before he smiled and calmed down again. "I hope that even if we become enemies, that we can somehow get along," Ryu said, putting out a hand for the armored Princess to shake.

"Ryu, allow me to correct one idea you have." Crusch began, catching his attention. "Even if we do come into conflict one day, I shall remain friendly toward you. Even if the day where we must settle things comes upon us, I shall not forget the debt I have incurred on this day. Therefore, even if we become enemies, I shall respect and show you favor until the end." Ryu blankly stared at her, not expecting this from Crusch. He eventually smiled, though his smile was one of calm relief.

"As if I hadn't already had enough conflicts of interest." Ryu joked, a relaxed look in his eyes. "Man, Crusch, are you trying to get me on your side so you can ensure you win the election either way?"

Crusch laughed softly, a gentle smile coming to her face. "Perhaps in the future, I will see you as a proper partner, Prince Ryutensei. Until then, you are an ally, a rival, and a great friend." Ryu then smiled, albeit with a somewhat flustered expression on his face, as they shook hands. "Now, I shall take our wounded and the White Whale's carcass to the capital. But I have a feeling you won't be accompanying us."

"I've got some things to settle, yeah." Ryu nodded, a firm determined look in his eyes. "It may be a little rude of me, but I set up this whole Whale hunt to ensure I could get some help with something."

"Oh? The White Whale was something secondary on your mind?" Crusch seemed amused. "How much assistance do you require?"

"I'm not even sure anymore." He looked out to the wounded, a sorrowful expression settling on his face. "I didn't expect the battle against the White Whale to have this kind of toll… Plus…"

"Then why don't you make use of this old man, Ryu-sama?" Wilhelm said as Ryu looked to see the man walk up to him with a grateful expression on his face… where the man immediately kneeled before him. "Ryu-sama, with this subjugation, it was you that allowed me to finally carry out my reason for living all this time. I thank you… I thank you with all I am!"

Ryu smiled eventually as he sighed. "It wasn't just me, Wilhelm, and you know it. You did just as, no, _more_ to help fight the Whale than I did. It was you who persevered to get to this point, to finally avenge your wife. Not me. All I did was help, you did the heavy lifting." Ryu tried to shrug off what he saw as needless praise. "Besides… wasn't it the love you had for your wife that let you do this?"

Wilhelm eventually smiled and looked up at him. "I thank you again." He then stood up and turned to Crusch.

"I recommend you hold onto that treasured sword for a while," Crusch said to the old swordsman. "In the days to come, being unarmed won't do you any good."

"Yes, my lady. Thank you." Wilhelm replied as Crusch shifted her attention back to Ryu.

"Take Felix and half of the uninjured. That should number about twenty." She said, as his eyes widened. Was she really just giving him these men? She seemed to have noticed his surprise too. "I told you I have no wish to be shameless. And that I would respect you, did I not?"

Ryu blinked, before smiling widely. "Thank you, Crusch. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!"

* * *

"You can nyot move, right?" Felix said to Rem, as Ryu watched this exchange closely to ensure Rem didn't overdo it. "As a user of healing magic, I cannot let you push yourself further! You will stay behind-"

"But-" Rem tried to protest, but she fell over as Ryu caught her with his uninjured arm.

"Hey, you should really watch how you use your Magic, Rem! Don't overexert yourself for my sakes!" He gently scolded the girl, worried for her health. "Just obey Felix, he's the most experienced healer out of the three of us."

"I can't! I won't!" Rem protested again, as she dug her face into Ryu's jacket. "It hurts to much… I can't bear it! When you're in trouble and in need of help, I want to be the first to reach out to you! That's all I want, so please-" Ryu reached over and began to softly stroke her hair, as a faint smile came to his face.

"Rem, you needn't worry. You've already saved me so many times… done so much for me… you even brought me back from the deepest pits of despair." He softly smiled at her, with pure adoration in his eyes. "It's high time I repaid the favor. This time, just leave things to me. I'll handle my issues on my own. I can do this, I know I can."

"After this… will you still keep me by your side?" Rem asked, looking up at him, as Ryu reached over and placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead.

"I promise, Rem. Besides… I should be the one asking you that." He said, as Rem eventually smiled and then placed a finger on his lip.

"I shall hold you to that promise, Ryu-kun. You can't back out now, can you?" Rem said in a half-teasing tone, only reaffirming Ryu's suspicions that he had indeed grown to love Rem.

"I'll be okay, Rem. I'll find a way to fix everything." Ryu swore, a confident grin coming to his face. "I'm supposed to be a True Hero, right? Well, I've taken one step in that direction! So you don't need to worry about a thing! Right now, I'm powered by the endless Determination you've given me!"

Rem stared at him as tears formed in her eyes before they fell freely as she tightly hugged Ryu. "Yes! My hero is the best in the world!"

Ryu felt truly blessed… to have someone who cared about him so unflinchingly. He felt like there was nothing that could take him down.

* * *

"Man, you got to have all the fun, didn'tcha little boss man?" Ricardo grinned as he placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder.

"Ryu-chan was really cool! He knocked down that Whale with one hit!" Mimi cheered, jumping up and down excitably. "That was really awesome!"

"I'm currently questioning how you two are still up and running. I mean, didn't your brother collapse of exhaustion earlier?" Ryu looked at Mimi with an incredulous eyebrow raised.

"Hetaro's just a baby. He's weak." Mimi said as she turned away, holding her staff. "Really, it's so pathetic…"

"I know in the battle with the Whale, I didn't get much done, but don't you worry." Ricardo confidently said. "My lady asked me for a favor after all. In the real battle comin' up, I'll really show ya what I've got."

"The real battle? You're acting like I'm going to war."

"Fighting the Witch's Cult is basically the equivalent of that, wouldn't you say?" Ricardo said, as Ryu froze up and looked up at him in shock. "Never underestimate the merchant information network, little boss man. You never know what kind of info you might get if you just pay attention and look around a bit." His gaze then shifted. "Ah, there they are."

"Oh?" Ryu looked over in the direction that Ricardo did, as he noticed another group of soldiers riding over.

"That's half of our mercenary team," Ricardo explained. "Half of 'em were sent to block the road, instead of fightin' the Whale."

"So, they'll be helping us too?" He asked, getting a nod of confirmation. "Who's leading them?"

"That'd be my little brother, Tivey!" Mimi piped up, as Ryu wondered about the logistics of Mimi's family tree for half-a-second before deciding it wasn't important. He looked over again, noticing a familiar face amongst the crowd.

"Hey! It's Julius!" Ryu grinned and waved with his good arm. "Julius, nice to see you around!" He called out, as he saw the man blink and then smile visibly, waving in return. This was a good army, he supposed.

_Now, to figure out a plan to beat Sloth._

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 3, Chapter 3 - White Whale vs True Hero (** _ _**白鯨** _ _**vs** _ _**真のヒーロー** _ _**) - END** _


	9. Sloth vs Determination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryu finally gets his revenge on the Archbishop of Sloth... but not without feeling a lot of regret for being unable to save his friend. He also learns of the cost of his victory.

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 3, Chapter 5 - Sloth vs Determination (** _ _**怠惰** _ _**vs** _ _**決定** _ _**)** _

* * *

As Julius and the rest of Anastasia's sent mercenaries got off of their rides, Felix stepped up with a smile. "Just joining us now, eh Julius?" He teased slightly. "Thanks for gracing us with your presence."

"Please, you will tarnish my reputation." The lavender-haired knight smoothly said as he walked over, "But I am not the man named 'Julius'. Let's see… perhaps I will go by 'Juli'. Even if it is temporary, a man with a knight's status must never lower himself to the rank of a mercenary." Ah, honor strikes again, not the first time Ryu saw something similar to this. Knights were always the ones who were the most obsessed with honor. "The man you see here is not Julius Juukulius, the knight, but a simple wanderer named Juli."

"A proper household's code of chivalry's a real pain, huh?" Felix said, as Ryu's hand idly went to touch his sheathed sword. Julius noticed the motion and shifted his gaze to the Prince, smiling.

"You seem to be doing much better, Ryu-sama. I'm glad to see that you're up and running again." Julius said, as Ryu smiled back.

"Thanks, Juli. Took me a while, but I'm back and better than ever!" Ryu raised a thumbs up, as Julius nodded.

"Truly wonderful news."

* * *

"Thanks to the combined efforts of all of our friends here today, we were able to finally bring down the White Whale." Ryu began, sitting in the middle of his grouped army and looking at each one of them briefly. They seemed ready enough for battle, and Crusch _did_ just give him these men, so he wasn't going to turn down his friend's gift. "But things aren't over yet. I've got a bone to pick with some Witch Cultists who are threatening the safety of my friends. Once we have dealt with that threat, our mission will be truly complete."

"So the Witch's Cult is next?" Mimi excitedly asked, before grinning widely once Ryu nodded in her direction, seemingly pumped up for a fight.

"Can we trust allegations that the White Whale and the Witch Cult are connected?" Mimi's brother, Tivey, asked. "We only came here as reinforcements for the White Whale's subjugation-" Mimi immediately went to whack Tivey over the head with her staff, an unamused look on her face. "What was that for?!"

"If you can't believe him, then you just need to believe me!" Mimi scolded her little brother, as Ryu blankly stared at them.

"...This is getting off track." Ryu eventually said as the focus shifted back to him. "I don't like thinking about it, but I've run into this particular sect of the Witch's Cult before." Ryu grit his teeth. "I've learned a few things since then."

"Didn't you look into that, Old Man Wil?" Felix asked the elder Swordsman, who nodded in affirmation.

"I would not term it to be definitive evidence, but the distributions of the Whale appearances and Cult activities coincided on several aspects," Wilhelm said, with Ryu faintly smirking to rid himself of his nervousness.

"On that note, we'll be heading to the Mathers Domain soon!" He informed the troops. "The Witch Cult is going to be hiding in the forests there. The way we defeat them is as simple as it gets. Raid them before they can read our movements, and crush them!"

"Is there a way to protect the villagers?" One man asked as Ryu nodded.

"I've already thought of that in advance. I asked Anastasia and Russell to talk to the merchants along the highway. In exchange for assisting in evacuation efforts, I would enter a contract that has me buy all their goods at asking prices." Well, by him, Ryu actually meant Roswaal. "And a messenger from Crusch's household is already on their way with a handwritten letter explaining the alliance and situation. There would surely be chaos if I didn't somehow explain things."

"Sounds like we're all ready to go then, little boss man!" Ricardo said, with Mimi and Tivey cheering in agreement.

"We've never been able to enjoy a battle where we had an advantage over the Witch's Cult. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Wilhelm smiled slightly, as Ryu grinned in response.

"I suppose it is! Plus with the backup from Juli and his crew, we don't need to worry about numbers!" Ryu then sighed as he grew serious. "In the battle earlier today, we lost a lot. Some of us fell in battle. Others vanished, never to return. Let's honor them by winning a decisive victory in their names, especially the ones who we do not remember." He jumped to his feet and closed his hand into a fist, pumping it into the air. "Let's return home alive!" He cried as the soldiers around him roared in response.

_***File saved.** _

Ryu was a paranoid man, and he created a SAVE point at that moment before crushing it. He wouldn't take any chances… to defeat Petelgeuse, he would need his knowledge and his power. Meaning he would need to get a hold of his memories soon. Flugel's memories.

* * *

And with that, they rode out. Ryu had finally gotten a hang of riding Patrasche, while Teymin hung in the back in her True Form, blending in with the Rigers. Ryu looked to the side as Juli rode up to him. "So, you really pulled out a win?" Juli asked as Ryu nodded.

"Yeah… I suppose we did." Ryu then raised an eyebrow curiously. "Why'd you even ask that anyway?"

"After what happened in the throne room, I had grown concerned. When I learned of how you lost most, if not all of your strength as a side effect of that day, and then heard of how you wished to subjugate the White Whale; my worries only grew." Juli responded. "I am truly happy to see you're well though."

"I'm as well as I can be when my left arm is half-broken." Ryu chuckled, as Juli smiled slightly in response. Ryu eventually took the lead again as he had Patrasche move up, a determined look on his face. " _Alright, Petelgeuse! I'm coming for ya!"_

Eventually, Ryu hopped off Patrasche, instructing her to stay with Juli and the rest of the army; before walking off into the forests where he first met the Cultists before, Teymin by his side. Ryu watched as multiple Cultists walked over to his position, surrounding him and bowing deeply. "I appreciate that you've come here to meet me," Ryu began, as they all looked up at him. "But I only need to talk to one of you. Take me to your boss, and inform the rest of your friends to not interfere if they see me." They all nodded and then disappeared, with Ryu sighing. Who knew what could have happened if the Scent hadn't been given to him by Satella? He silently thanked his old friend and lover (that was still weird to think about) before continuing on to meet Petelgeuse in his hideout, a headache suddenly striking him as he stared at the man. He instructed Teymin to hide in the forest until he commanded her return, for her safety.

"I welcome you, beloved one, blessed with love!" Petelgeuse greeted him, a wide smile on his face as he began to dance about. "How wonderful!"

Ryu blankly stared at him before waving. "Hey! I appreciate the warm welcome! I'm still confused by this 'love' you speak of though…" Ryu closed his eyes as he laughed, counteracting his Law of Integrity as he knew he was lying, but no one would know unless they saw his eyes flash.

"Ah, it always begins suddenly!" Petelgeuse said, waving his arms about manically. "Everyone, on a certain day, realizes they are loved." The man began to hug himself tightly. "They feel the love! The love! The love! The love! The love! The love! The love! The love!" He began to giggle madly as Ryu tried to cut in so the conversation could get going.

"So, how exactly does this work?" Ryu asked, as Petelgeuse took in a deep breath, smelling the air around them.

"Ah, the rich scent of the Witch's love…" He refocused back onto the young Prince, grinning widely. "You wouldn't happen to be Pride, would you? Of the six Sin Archbishops, only Pride's seat remains vacant." Petelgeuse glided across the floor, invading Ryu's personal space as he internally felt unnerved. "You have… received the Gospel, have you not?"

Ryu bit the insides of his lip as he thought about what to say. "I… I'm afraid to say, I'm not Pride." He replied eventually, deciding to tell the truth. At his words, Petelgeuse stepped closer and took a heavy whiff of Ryu, only making him more uncomfortable. The Sin Archbishop of Sloth's eyes widened moments later as he jumped back.

"Not only are you loved by the Witch… you have a scent beyond that. A scent, a scent, a scent, a scent!" Petelgeuse madly exclaimed as he raised his hands to the heavens, tears streaking down his face. "A scent lost to us for so very long! You have **his** scent! The scent of the Sage! Are you… his chosen?" Petelgeuse laid his tear-filled eyes upon him as Ryu eventually nodded.

"More or less." He didn't want to reveal too much, so he let Petelgeuse believe whatever he wished.

"How wonderful! How wonderful!" The man reached into his clothing and pulled out a black book, opening it up as he rapidly went through it, chanting about how wonderful his appearance was before stopping. "Oh? My Gospel has no account of you."

"Oh, that? I expected that. My existence is pretty much hated by Fate, so I'm immune to it." Ryu chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck with a grin and his eyes closed to hide his lies.

"Fate… denies your existence? Then why? Why have you appeared today?" Petelguese rapidly asked. "Why visit here? What sort of fortune are you here to deliver, blessed one?!"

"...I'm here to deliver an update to your Gospel." Ryu eventually said, as he drew Aicenfall and summoned a crimson Shield of Determination on his right arm. "And it's called The End!"

"Authority of Sloth: Unseen Hand!" Petelgeuse instantly reacted, as Ryu felt something was approaching him, but he could barely make out the figures. His eyes then flashed a faint violet color as his body moved back on his own, with Ryu stunned. He didn't do that. Petelgeuse also seemed lost. "What? You can see my Unseen Hand?"

"I think I'm done here," Ryu said, as his body instantly reacted, cutting aside the Unseen Hands with his new weapon. It was at that moment that Mimi and Tivey popped out of hiding, hitting Petelgeuse's hideout with Wind Mana-based sonic attacks, caving it in.

"How… how could this be…?" Petelgeuse muttered as he blankly stared at the caved-in hideout. "My fingers, so cruelly, so mercilessly, so chaotically, so arbitrarily, so artlessly, so meaninglessly…" He began to scratch at and tug on his hair, with his eyes bleeding 'tears'. "My brain! My brain trembles!"

"Yikes! That guy's pretty scary!" Mimi said as she ran off.

"I think all Witch Cult members are like that," Tivey replied as Petelgeuse began to bite at his fingers, causing them to bleed.

"Yes, of course…" He madly muttered, his voice changing to a guttural growl. "I understand. Let's do this. I'm ready to do this. The time has come to learn who is more worthy of her love! Yes, her love!"

"Sorry to interrupt your rant," Ryu began as Petelguese paused momentarily in shock. "But I'm afraid, this is the end!" Petelgeuse was then cut in half as Wilhelm landed behind him and bisected them. Ryu then stood up and walked over to the corpse, an unreadable expression on his face. "...Something's wrong, guys." He said to the ones around him, while his eyes narrowed. "His soul hasn't shattered."

"So, what you're saying is…" Felix's eyes widened, as Ryu nodded.

"This isn't over. He isn't dead. Everyone keep your guard up, we'll rendezvous with the others and inform them of the situation." Ryu commanded, as everyone stood straight and nodded, with them leaving. Ryu stayed behind as his eyes softened. "...Geuse… what happened to you?"

His memories were still fragmented, and he was still sorting through them, but he remembered one thing. Geuse was a friend of his, in the past. A good friend, in fact. What drove him to this level of insanity… he didn't know. He sighed as he used magic to dig the man a grave if only to respect his old friend's body. His expression hardened, as he then followed after the rest of the group… but not without taking Petelgeuse's Gospel for safekeeping.

* * *

"We've crushed two Fingers here," Juli reported once they rendezvoused with the rest of the group. "A few of the Cultists were skilled, but they posed no actual threat. Driving them off, we made no error."

"I'm glad that things went so well for you all." Ryu nodded, as Juli smiled slightly.

"I take it your news is good as well, Ryu-sama?" Juli asked respectfully, as Ryu raised a hand and made a 'so-so' motion.

"We took down Petelgeuse's physical body, but his soul didn't pass on as I expected. He isn't dead. My theory is that he's moved his soul to another body." He replied as Juli put a hand to his chin.

"That is troubling news… we must stay on guard then, and search for the rest of these Fingers until we can put this Archbishop down." Juli said, as Ricardo walked over and placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder.

"Well then, let's get going and take care of these guys before my lady turns into an old granny!" At the silence from his words, Ricardo piped up again. "Hey, that was my best joke ya know?"

' _We were supposed to laugh at that?'_ Ryu thought incredulously but laughed regardless so he didn't hurt the beastman's feelings.

"We will rendezvous soon with the dragon carriages you arranged," Juli said once Ryu had calmed down. "Let us eliminate the rest of these Cultists and greet our victory together."

"Okay, Ryu-kyun! It's time for the bait! Let out more of that smell!" Felix said, as he turned to Ryu. "Breathe in…" Ryu did so. "And out…" Mimi then jumped onto Ryu's back, a mischievous grin on her face.

"And out… and out… and out…!" Ryu was now exhaling blanks as he wheezed, but surprisingly he felt normal even though he had emptied his lungs of oxygen. On reflex, he breathed back in, of course, but he was thoroughly confused. He expected to cough and wheeze a lot more than this, honestly. How strange. Mimi eventually jumped off of him as she giggled, seemingly amused.

"Oh, gods, never let me do that again," Ryu said, rubbing his throat as everyone laughed at his expense, with Ryu smiling eventually. He kept his guard up but smiled as he witnessed the peaceful, happy scene of his friends and allies just having fun. As the Soul of Peace, this scene empowered him, but also brought him joy. "...Once this is over though… we'll probably be back to being enemies…"

"You worry a lot, you know Ryu-sama," Juli commented as Ryu looked over in his direction.

"I'm just thinking more logically nowadays," Ryu responded, a calm expression on his face before his eyes widened and he instinctually drew his sword, slashing the air with Aicenfall. The icy blade of the old Sage's sword cut through the air, sending ripples of freezing cold air through the sky and slicing the Unseen Hands coming his way. But the issue was, Ryu could only see the Hands faintly, by detecting the energy in them. But that was an inefficient strategy, as it drained him of his magic quickly. He needed a way to see them, and quick. "I… I can RE-" Ryu paused as the world around him froze, a dark mist surrounding him as a shadowy hand appeared before him… and reached into his chest, where it caressed his heart in an almost loving manner.

Moments later, time resumed, with Ryu able to see multiple dark appendages made of energy fading as they were cut down by his sword. ' _Good, now I can see. My gamble paid off.'_ Ryu's eyes then widened as he felt something grab his leg, dragging him away quicker than he could react. The Unseen Hand pulled him deep into the forest and pinned him against a tree as Ryu struggled to cut at the dark appendage.

"Ah! My brain… it trembles!" A feminine voice said as a masked Cultist approached him, soon unmasking herself to reveal a woman with short brown hair and dark eyes. "Your power, your aura, your scent, your eyes! They all match up so perfectly with the vague memories of that old Sage! Of Flugel Aicenfall!" The Finger walked up to him and then noticed the sword in his hands. "Ah, yes! The Sword! The Sword of Winter! Only those of his bloodline could wield it, and it has been gone for centuries, yes, yes! You are not merely the Sage's Chosen! You are his reincarnation! Beautiful, beautiful! With the power of the Sage, the one who once sealed her away, now we may bring her back! Don't you see, blessed one?" The Finger began to cry, making Ryu only more uncomfortable and desperate to find an escape. "The Witch loves you, even after everything your last incarnation has done! And now, Fate has guided you to meet me so we can work together to bring her back! Ah, the beauty of this is awe-inspiring! This is the blessing of her Love! I will bring you with me, induct you into the Cult as Pride! Come with me and embrace your Fate! Embrace the Love that has so generously been given to you with such potency, despite its fresh scent!"

The Finger then reached into her robes, before stiffening up. "The Gospel… where is the Gospel? Where is it? The guidance of my love! The Gospel that lets me, though inexperienced, reciprocate love! It isn't here! Where?!" The Finger bent backward at an unnatural angle, before standing up straight as she stared at him. "You have it, don't you, Flugel?"

"It's Ryu! I ain't Flugel anymore! He was just a fragment of my soul!" Ryu snapped, as The Finger began to giggle madly.

"You are an anomaly! Truly! Everything I've ever known is being changed the longer I interact with you!" The Finger said a wide grin on her face. "Yes, it would do me well to induct you into the Cult!" She was then interrupted as a crimson light appeared in between them, with The Finger jumping back instantly as the light shone brightly, blinding Ryu briefly. The Unseen Hands then dropped him as Ryu gripped Aicenfall, landing on the floor with expertise. The Finger then began to wave about madly, clearly terrified of the Fire Spirit in front of her, and even releasing her Unseen Hands to try and attack it without paying much attention to her surroundings. Ryu took that moment to slice through the Finger with Aicenfall, as the blade began to freeze the Finger from the inside-out with its power. "My life… is spilling out… my blood is running cold… My diligent pulse, my life's support…" The Finger took a step forward but fell over as her legs froze and shattered. "Is stopping… freezing… Ah… my brain tremb-" The Finger was unable to finish her sentence as she was frozen solid, with Ryu pointing at the Cultist and stabbing them through their frozen skull with his sword.

"So, this was the next Finger, huh?" Felix asked as he looked at the Finger's corpse. Ryu nodded, leaning against a tree as he rubbed his sore arm tiredly.

"Yeah… this might be a bit more annoying than we first thought…" He hissed slightly, both in pain and from a sudden headache panging at his skull before his eyes widened. He needed to go back and make a different plan. And go back he did, as he immediately loaded his save.

* * *

"I suppose it is! Plus with the backup from Juli and his crew, we don't need to worry about numbers!" Ryu then sighed as he grew serious. "In the battle earlier today, we lost a lot. Some of us fell in battle. Others vanished, never to return. Let's honor them by winning a decisive victory in their names, especially the ones who we do not remember." He jumped to his feet and closed his hand into a fist, pumping it into the air. "Let's return home alive!" He cried as the soldiers around him roared in response. Ryu's eyes then widened as his memories flooded in from the other timeline, before a more grim look settled on his face. "But even before that, men, I have some more information to give on our enemy, Sloth."

"...So, you're saying the Sloth Archbishop may be able to transfer his soul to another being?" Juli asked curiously, as they all sat back down to listen to his words. Ryu nodded.

"Yeah. It's honestly a disturbing thought, but it's basically possession. If someone is compatible with him, he'll use their body as his own." Ryu replied. "It's how he's stayed alive for this long, as well as how he's able to pop up everywhere."

"In an old book, I saw a research account of a similar subject," Juli said as he placed a hand on his chin. "There is one long-forgotten magic that could allow this, but it only works in certain conditions."

"So our goal is to exterminate his spare bodies, his Fingers, before confronting Sloth. That is the way to go… where his soul will finally shatter and move on." Ryu then got up. "Then let us be on our way to execute our plan. We must win."

* * *

" _Filthy woman!"_

" _You silver-haired half-elf."_

" _Margrave Mathers endorses a half-devil? Utter foolishness!"_

" _Ryu, please, don't go!" Emilia begged before she was stopped from getting closer to Ryu by a bunch of ice spikes jutting out of the floor, a dark aura surrounding them._

" _...Goodbye, Emilia. Take care of yourself, alright?" Ryu waved at her before a bolt of black lightning fell from the sky. When the blinding flash of dark-colored light faded, Ryu was nowhere to be found._

Emilia opened her eyes slowly, awakening from a dream that was in reality far more like a nightmare. Puck floated in front of her, entering her vision as he smiled slightly. "Lia… your forehead is all wrinkled."

"Good morning, Puck." Emilia greeted the spirit with a smile as she got up. "You're up early today."

"Morning, Lia. I thought I'd give the whole, 'early to bed, early to rise' thing a shot." Puck greeted as he floated closer to the girl he was contracted to. "Well, just kidding. The truth is I was worried about you. You had it rough recently… especially yesterday."

Emilia smiled sadly. "It was nothing I didn't know already."

"Even if you know you'll fall, when it happens, it doesn't stop it from hurting or bleeding." Puck said, a small frown on his face. Emilia looked down before glancing up at Puck again.

"What do you think I should do, Puck?" She asked the spirit. "This isn't just about me, how can I do more for everyone, as well as get them to do more for me?"

"I think you should just do what you want." Puck replied. "I'll be on your side, no matter what you do. And no matter what, you won't abandon that village, right? Earlier today, Ram headed out there. Maybe we should wait to hear from her." Emilia nodded and got out of bed, a genuine smile on her face. "I'll go check on Betty." Puck said, as he flew off.

"Oh, okay! Let her know I said hello!" Emilia said back, before getting dressed so she could go through her daily schedule. She later made her way downstairs, as she then heard the doors close, with Ram entering. "Ram?"

"Emilia-sama, you have a visitor," Ram said, as she looked over at Wilhelm, who stood there in respectful silence as he bowed his head.

"You are… from Crusch's household, right?" Emilia asked curiously, as she walked over to the man, who kneeled before her.

"I am Wilhelm Trias." He greeted. "I have come here on my master's behalf."

"On Crusch's behalf? I received a blank letter from her yesterday…" Wilhelm looked up at Emilia as she said that.

"I see, so it was true…" Wilhelm said, adding to Emilia's confusion. "While this shames me to say, the letter's contents conflicted with my master's true intentions."

"Oh… it was a mistake then." Emilia smiled in relief.

"Yes, Emilia-sama and Ram-dono. We would like to evacuate those remaining in the mansion, along with the villagers." Wilhelm explained. "That is Crusch-sama's will."

"Wait, there's a ring of criminals around the forest?" Emilia asked, stunned as Ram nodded in affirmative.

"Yes. The punitive force this messenger brought is already preparing to fight the enemy." Ram explained.

"But… why would Crusch do so much to help this domain?" Emilia asked, as the doors to the mansion opened up again, with her eyes widening. Ryu had re-entered the mansion, a calm smile on his face.

"That would be because of me, I'm afraid," Ryu answered for her, as she stared right in his direction as if disbelieving that he was actually here. "I made a deal with her, and now we've got an alliance in exchange for a share in the mining rights of Elior Forest."

"Ryu… you're back?" Emilia asked, stunned. Ryu smiled at her confidently as he brought a thumbs up.

"I made a promise, didn't I? I'm not the type to break a promise, Emi. But I will need your help," Ryu said, quickly growing serious. "We've already set things up so half of the villagers will head to the capital..."

"And I will lead the other half to the safety of the Sanctuary." Ram continued for him. "Roswaal-sama is heading there now."

"I-I see…" Emilia looked down, before a more resolute expression settled on her face as she looked at Ryu. "How may I help, Ryu-kun?"

"I'd appreciate if I could get one of your cloaks, the ones that warp perception. I'll need stealth if I want to pull off my plan." The Prince replied, as Emilia nodded and said that she would supply him with one of her spares.

"But do the villagers know of the situation?" Emilia asked as Ram nodded yet again.

"They have been made aware of the dire situation, Emilia-sama," Ram affirmed, as Puck finally made his appearance again.

"Betty says she'll stay here," The Great Spirit said. "She said, and I quote: 'Betty can't go. I suppose I'll wait for your return. Don't worry about me'." Puck then crossed his arms. "Well, in Betty's case, the Forbidden Library is a much safer place. Besides, due to her contract, she can't leave the mansion. You know that, right Lia?"

"No fair, using that as a reason…" Emilia half-pouted, as Ryu winced, feeling another headache assault his senses, along with some memories. One, in particular, being the flash of a woman's face. A woman with long white hair and barely exposed, white porcelain-like skin, wearing a pitch-black dress and a jade butterfly hairpin. His senses quickly returned to reality, but not before a name came to the face. _Echidna_. "We will evacuate," Emilia said, as Ryu realized he had tuned out the conversation during his little… episode. "I don't want to endanger the villagers!" Ryu smiled slightly at that.

Emilia's kindness and selflessness knew no bounds, it seemed.

* * *

Ryu watched from above, crouching in a tree as his eyes narrowed. Using **Hate** 's power, he was able to both keep an eye on the Cultists and on the village down below. He had already set things up down there in preparation, knowing that there would be a limited amount of space due to the carriages being also limited in number. He also knew that the kids had grown fond of Emilia, and had told them in advance, that if they were required to ride with Emilia; they were to show their affection and also protect her. ' _Those kids are always determined to make me happy, it seems.'_ Ryu smiled slightly before his gaze shifted to the Cultists directly below him, where he silently snapped his fingers, summoning a wall of knives behind him and spearing the Cultists along with the hidden Finger. One target down.

Ryu's eyes narrowed as he grit his teeth, knowing this wasn't the first time he reloaded his save. This was actually his second load since he fought Petelgeuse, taking a certain factor into the equation. It wasn't that big, but he needed to ensure Ram knew about the mistake of a certain blank letter, along with getting the villagers on his side. Ryu picked up their metia as well as a map that was on the Finger's possession, handing both over to Wilhelm, who appeared behind him. "Take this to the others, handle the Fingers. I need to meet my fate." He said, as the man nodded in respect and left. Ryu looked up to the sky, as a faint light-blue and violet aura surrounded him for a moment. "Geuse… I'm coming for you."

* * *

Ryu blankly stared at the Archbishop of Sloth, who'd face was obscured by the darkness of the cave, a wide grin on his face. "I have been waiting for you, believer of love." Petelgeuse greeted him again, insanity visible in his eyes. "I am a Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult. Archbishop of Sloth..." He walked out of the shadows, before bowing eccentrically. "Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti, at your service!"

Ryu took a deep breath and approached the man. "Pleased to meet you, honorable Sin Archbishop. I am the reincarnation of the old wise Sage from 400 years ago, the one who sealed away the Witch." He bowed, as Petelgeuse stared at him in shock, while Ryu kept his eyes closed. "I have come to atone for his actions, and to do so, I thought that I must bring back the Witch into the world. The easiest way of doing so, I heard, was the Ordeal you have been tasked with; and I have come to assist you in the task ahead of us."

At his words, the Archbishop began to cry tears of religious devotion. "How wondrous, how vivacious your faith is! To recognize the Love of the Witch, to come here to diligently attempt to atone! To think that the reincarnation of the Sage would be such a devout believer of Love!" Petelgeuse then turned to a stone and began to repeatedly bash his head in with the stone. "Please forgive my Sloth, for failing to find you! For failing to attempt searching for him! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me!"

"Please stop, Petelgeuse! I don't wish to see you hurt, and I'm sure the Witch wouldn't want to see such a beloved, devout believer in pain." Ryu attempted to calm the crazed man down. "She would most definitely wish to see the Ordeal carried out instead."

 _No, she wouldn't_ , a voice in his head said, as Ryu internally agreed. He was sure Satella wouldn't want this, or at least wouldn't care for it. The Witch of Envy though… was a different conversation in its entirety.

At his words, Petelgeuse gasped. "You are exactly right! Yes, the Ordeal! What she needs from me now is the Ordeal!" The Archbishop of Sloth then jumped into the air and landed on the floor moments later, quickly embracing Ryu into a tight hug. "You have opened my eyes! Thank you! Thank you!" Ryu felt uncomfortable from the close embrace but knew he had to deal with this for now if he was to end the threat that Petelgeuse posed his friends. "With this Ordeal, we must test her. To see if the half-devil is a worthy vessel… if she is worthy to put the Witch into." Petelgeuse then drew back from the hug and drew out his Gospel. "The words inscribed in the Gospel tell of her Love! All of it guides my path!" He then tilted his head at a true 90-degree angle. "Show me your Gospel."

Ryu silently pulled out the metia he had stolen from the Finger he executed, and opened it up as Petelgeuse stared at it in confusion. Moments later, the metia activated, with Felix's face appearing on its screen. "Oh, I see him! I see him!" Felix's voice echoed from the artifact. "His face looks just as scary as I'd heard!"

"Exactly who are you?" Petelgeuse asked, before he began to panic. "No! Who are you people!"

"Your end," Ryu smirked, a dark look entering his eyes.

"Now then! Tora, tora, tora!" Felix chanted, as Ryu snapped his fingers, with Patrasche then rushing in and slamming into the Sin Archbishop. Ryu stroked Patrasche's neck lovingly as he then looked over at Petelgeuse.

"Our surprise attack is a success, it seems." Ryu hummed, as Petelgeuse tried to get up, but Ryu was prepared for that. He snapped his fingers again, as the Sin Archbishop was surrounded by ice spears made of Soul Magic. "Don't bother trying to flee. Everything surrounding us has been uber-charged with Soul Magic. If you leave, your soul will be immediately fried and you will be sent to the Void." He coldly said as the Archbishop of Sloth began to panic.

"You, you, you liar! You said you wished to atone for your actions!" Petelgeuse roared, as he began to bite his fingers in panic. Ryu looked to the side as he closed off his metia.

"I did… I still do. But not in your plan. Not when it will only bring suffering to everyone." Ryu said, as he eventually looked up at Petelgeuse, his eyes glowing brightly. "I will save Satella, one way or another. But on my own terms. I will find the perfect ending of this world, just as I did back home. But this time, I will keep it and hold it close. I swear, Geuse… I will even save you. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, or even in the coming months. But one way or another, I will save everyone."

"You heretic! To reject the guidance of the Gospel, to reject the Ordeal! You do not deserve her love!" Petelgeuse said as he formed his Unseen Hands, with Ryu jumping onto Patrasche and avoiding the Hands with her help. He drew Aicenfall as he guided Patrasche to turn around swiftly, pulling the blade back as he released a massive wave of blackened electricity at the Archbishop.

" **BLACK LIGHTNING: CURRENT!** " He called out, as the spell impacted into Petelguese and slammed him into a wall of ice. The Archbishop pulled himself back up, but was unable to do anything as Ryu shot at him, punching him into the air with extreme speed; courtesy of his Integrity Platforms and Patrasche's help. Ryu then appeared in the air with the assistance of **Black Warp** , evading two Unseen Hands thrown at him as he pointed his hand at Petelgeuse. " **Bipolarity**!" He said as Petelgeuse felt his soul split into two. Ryu dodged the Unseen Hands with effortless ease, yet again without even meaning to. Like his body was moving on its own. Ryu then disappeared, as Petelgeuse looked down to see the young man charging up a spell. Yellow light formed in his hands, before shooting out like a large heat-seeking ray. " **AL JIWALD**!" He called out, as the spell slammed into Petelgeuse, frying his body as the Sin Archbishop felt his soul taking damage from the spell.

Ryu could see the panic and confusion in the Archbishop's eyes, as Ryu smirked. He was unable to use the highest Jiwald spell for one reason, and that being how costly it was on his Gate. So what was his plan? He found he was able to use spells he normally wasn't able to when enhancing his Gate with Soul Magic, meaning this spell… was able to attack Petelgeuse's soul! He eventually let up on the spell when he felt the taxing strain it had on him finally come up, giving Petelgeuse time to land on the floor, his body burnt and scarred. "You… I'll kill you!" The man madly said, as he charged right at Ryu, who dodged the initial movement; as he snapped his fingers. Just above Petelgeuse, courtesy of Ryu's **Black Warp** , all the jars of oil he knew Otto wanted to sell appeared and fell onto Petelgeuse, soaking him in oil.

' _I'll make sure to buy all of his oil at double the price I offered in the original timeline,'_ Ryu thought to himself, as he then pointed his hand at the panicking, oil-soaked man from his position in the air, standing on an Integrity Platform. "I told you it was the end, Petelgeuse. I wasn't lying." A small flame appeared in front of him before it condensed as he flowed more Fire Mana into it. Eventually, Ryu felt that he put enough, and ignited the dense Fire Mana sphere with **Bravery Fire** and threw it at Petelgeuse. The disfigured, damaged man exploded outwards with a flurry of Unseen Hands, trying to push back on the growing sphere of fire. Ryu pushed back as well, flowing his own power into it in order to ensure the magic did hit the man. He then felt his left hand's soreness flare up, causing him to wince and flinch back, while Petelgeuse's mangled body grinned with its broken and charred teeth.

' _Damnit, my arm! I can't do anything in this state! And I'm out of magic!'_ Ryu thought in a panic, not wanting to give up as he then felt something, looking to the side and seeing Patrasche's worried expression as she cried out to him. Ryu stared at her blankly for a moment, before a more determined expression settled on his face, both of his eyes glowing red. He shifted his gaze back to the incoming sphere of flames, straining his left arm as he forced **Hate** into it to speed up its healing process and then pushing against the Brave Fire Bomb with his last bits of offensive Soul Magic, feeling drained but knowing this was necessary. The last-ditch attack shot at Petelgeuse even faster, burning away the Unseen Hands as it went, as the man… no, the spirit's eyes widened. Ryu's expression softened.

"Geuse, I regret I wasn't able to save you. I regret that I died, unable to guide you and assist you better, old friend. But for now, you may rest. You've worked so diligently for these past years, even if your diligence was misguided, I must recognize you for the friend you are." Ryu softly said as Petelgeuse's eyes widened.

"Old…. friend? Flugel-sama?" The spirit asked as Ryu nodded solemnly. With that, finally, Petelgeuse stopped fighting back as the spell impacted with him; exploding outwards in a flare of light and force that was seen for miles, though the explosion was managed by Ryu on purpose; so it only would affect a small radius. Ryu fell off his platform as a side-effect of it, as Patrasche then caught him, curling up on instinct as the explosion caught up with them.

* * *

"Ryu-sama! Ryu-sama, wake up!" Ryu felt someone shaking him as he opened his eyes to find himself in a strange building which he recognized as one of the buildings of Arlam. He looked up to see Julius looking at him. "Ah, thank the Dragon. You're awake. We all got worried about you when we saw you injured. You never mentioned your plan being this risky."

"Eh, all my plans are super risky," Ryu said as he slowly got up, hissing as he felt his body was sore all around. "What's going on anyway?"

"We have a small problem. The fire stones that were in the merchants' inventory are gone." Felix said as he walked over to him and began to heal his sore body, which prompted Ryu to immediately thank the knight. Felix smiled slightly but returned to healing. Ryu looked to the side as he saw Otto standing in the corner.

"I hope my oil was useful to you, Ryu-sama," Otto said, as Ryu grinned in response.

"It totally was! I'll make sure to pay you double for letting me borrow that stuff!" He then grew serious. "What's this about the stones anyways?"

"Well, we unloaded all our cargo so we could transport the villagers, but the fire stones alone are missing." At his words, Ryu's eyes widened.

"We need to go find them then!" He then stumbled as his sore body wasn't in its best condition right now. Julius instantly caught him and made him sit back down on the bed, shaking his head.

'In your condition, it wouldn't be wise for you to run off, Ryu-sama. You could get yourself hurt." Julius advised, but Ryu instantly shrugged him off and slapped away his hand, glaring up at him with glowing eyes.

"Like hell, I'm just gonna sit here when people are at risk! I made a promise that no one would die on this quest, I'm not going to break it!" And he made a promise to Emilia too, and he wasn't going to break that either. He pulled himself to his feet, feeling the pain of his battered body, but his soul refused to let that stop him. The pain quickly subsided as his body numbed itself out of sheer Determination, with him grabbing Otto. "You're coming with me, Otto! You help me out, and I'll give you a position as my personal assistant and manager of funds for my joined camp between me and Emilia!" It was the offer he gave to Otto once before the White Whale came to interrupt.

Otto stared at him with shock, before a more resolute expression landed on his face. "Of course, Ryu-sama!"

* * *

"Rather than take this road, it's faster to go through the glad to the left," Otto explained as Ryu sat on a carriage pulled by both Otto's Dragon and Patrasche. Teymin sat in the back, exhausted from her work of helping the others in the army take out the fingers. "This is the shortest way!"

"Man, your Divine Protection is really useful!" Ryu grinned at Otto, genuinely amazed by this useful ability as he had never seen something like it before. "To be able to understand and talk to animals sounds like a convenient ability."

"I had... and sort-of still have a problem learning to control it. Since I hear all creatures' voices, from Ground Dragons to insects, it means I sometimes have a hard time figuring out which is which." Otto shrugged. "But if we play our cards right, this shortcut will lead us to Ketty's cart with Emilia and the others quickly."

Ryu's eyes widened at those words. "Did you say Emilia?" He asked hesitantly, as Otto eventually nodded, somewhat scared of the expression that appeared on Ryu's face. Ryu then put his hand out, as his eyes gave off a bright red glow. "We have to hurry then! **Road of Truth**!" In front of them appeared a glowing blue 'road' of Integrity Platforms, interconnected closely together, as the dragon-pulled cart rolled over them; giving it a large boost in speed that genuinely terrified Otto… but Ryu's expression was grim and resolute. Determined. ' _I made a promise!'_

Eventually, they were close to their location, as Otto immediately pointed it out. "Ryu-sama, we're here!" Otto called out, as Ryu instantly formed a downwards bridge, which the Ground Dragons used to ride down. Ryu jumped off and tossed a bag of coins at Otto before Teymin transformed into her True Form and jumped out the back to let Ryu climb on.

"Thanks for the help, Otto! Once this is over with, I'll appoint you officially as my assistant! Just stay here for now!" Ryu said before Teymin rushed off with him on her back. Ryu shifted his gaze to Wilhelm once he saw him, stopping momentarily as he glared at the surrounding Cultists. "Petelgeuse has passed on!" He roared as the Cultists stopped to look at what they probably saw as the next coming of their savior, the Sage who befriended the Witches. "I command thee to give up and accept the punishments of the kingdom, or else I will personally punish you!" It was either death or a fate worse than that, so the Cultists immediately gave up. Ryu then looked at Wilhelm. "Where's Emilia?" He asked the man, who cut down one of the Cultists who tried to go against the rest's choices.

"Just ahead!" Wilhelm replied. "Go straight, to the remains of Flugel's Tree!" At his words, Ryu nodded and commanded Teymin to run off faster, to catch up with the refugees' carriages. His eyes narrowed as they began to glow brighter, a faint aura surrounding him.

" _I'll be okay, Rem. I'll find a way to fix everything." Ryu swore, a confident grin coming to his face. "I'm supposed to be a True Hero, right? Well, I've taken one step in that direction! So you don't need to worry about a thing! Right now, I'm powered by the endless Determination you've given me!"_

Ryu's yellow-green eye began to emit a bright glow that trailed behind him as Teymin picked up speed, as said eye slowly changed color to a pale violet tone. The aura grew in size and potency, slowly becoming visible as it flowed into Teymin, boosting her speed tremendously. Once the carriages in front of them began to suddenly slow down and stop, Ryu jumped off of Teymin, who also stopped by digging her sharp claws into the floor as she skids; and jumped into the carriage, instantly searching for the makeshift bomb that awaited him. Without saying a word, he pulled up one of the floorboards of the carriage and ripped it off, before pulling out the bag of fire stones and jumping back onto Teymin. "W-wait!" Ryu heard as he looked at Emilia, her eyes wide with shock. "Why? Why do you do all of this for me? Haven't you heard-"

"Emilia, I don't need a reason for wanting to help my friend and save innocent lives, now do I?" Ryu smiled at her, stunning her into silence. "I care about you. You've become a good friend of mine in the time that I've known you. Besides…" His expression hardened as he then had Teymin run off. "I need to make up for my actions… if I'm to become the hero that _she_ believes I can be!"

He rushed off with Teymin, the bomb in hand as he reached Flugel's Tree and chucked the bomb into the carcass of the White Whale, forming a few dozen Shields of Kindness with his limited magic as insurance as he then had Teymin run off… before the bomb went off, shattering through the shields he put up as the force knocked him and Teymin over, but the Wolgarm curled up around him to protect her master. The world went white for Ryu, as he instantly lost consciousness.

* * *

When Ryu finally awoke, he felt the wind blowing through his hair and the sensation of his head resting on… something. He opened his eyes slowly, feeling a massive headache as well as some minor chest pain, causing him to groan. "Ugh… remind me to actually make plans and think things through in the future…"

"I most certainly will make sure to do so, Ryu-kun," He heard, as he looked up to see the smiling face of Emilia. Ryu silently stared for a moment as his brain registered this, before looking around with his eyes and realizing.

' _Oh shit, I'm resting on Emi's lap-'_ Ryu panicked internally but didn't have enough energy to panic externally.

"You know, I'm glad to see you're alright," Emilia said, catching his attention as he slowly got up. "I know you're a very resilient person, but I couldn't help but worry."

"...How's Teymin?" He asked eventually, looking directly into Emilia's purple-blue eyes.

"She was burned pretty badly, but she'll survive. Felix is looking over her right now." Emilia explained as Ryu sighed in relief, looking out upon the horizon. He was now one step closer to his goals. One step closer to being the Hero Rem believed he could be. "Ryu… I still don't understand why you're so adamant about helping me. On saving me."

"Ne, didn't I already say it?" Ryu amusedly said as he smiled at Emilia. "You're my friend. Friends have to support each other. Protect each other. I want to be helpful, to be useful to you, because you were the first friend I had when I appeared here in Lugunica. I care about you because you're a good friend and an even better person."

Emilia's eyes widened before she began to softly cry. "I'm a half-elf…" She said, as Ryu slowly got up.

"I know that."

"I'm a silver-haired half-elf and many people hate me because I look like the Witch." Emilia continued, as Ryu smiled sadly.

"I know that, too. Those guys are blind to the real you."

"I don't have much experience with people, I'm naive and not very worldly… so I say strange things sometimes. And my reason for being the kingdom's ruler is really, really selfish." Ryu shook his head at her words, as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Every living being is selfish on some level. But as long as you rule with genuine kindness, and bring the Kingdom to prosperity, then it doesn't matter what your original intentions are. I'm sure your actions will soon bring people around, once they see how caring you can be." He softly said, as tears welled up in Emilia's eyes. He reached over with his free hand to wipe away her tears, as the silver-haired girl took his hand into her own after a moment.

"Ryu-kun… thank you, for everything. For saving me." Emilia said as Ryu's lips twitched into a genuine smile.

"Don't mention it, Emilia. I'll always be here for you."

* * *

Later, back in Otto's carriage, Ryu smiled at the sleeping forms of the Arlam kids and Teymin, sitting in the cart with Emilia next to him. Ryu blinked when he felt something grab him and looked over to see Petra attached to his arm. "Uh… Petra? What're you-"

"She had you all to herself earlier!" Petra exclaimed as Ryu felt dread settle into his soul, with sins he didn't even have crawling on his back. Petra then looked over at Emilia, almost as if challenging her. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Um… it's not like that, Petra-chan!" Emilia tried to calm down the girl, who seemed unimpressed. "Ryu and I were… just talking about some important things!"

Petra stuck out her tongue at Emilia, as expected of someone her age. "I'm not gonna lose to you! Do you hear me?!" Emilia seemed briefly alarmed before a more serious expression settled on her face.

"Even if you are a child, I can't take such a rude attitude from you!" Emilia said, as she then grabbed Ryu's other arm, stunning the young man for a moment before he tried to diffuse the situation.

"Hey, Petra! I recommend you rest, so we can get to the next stage of your training with soul magic! I want to see if you can summon your own Familiar, but that kind of training requires you to be well-rested." He began to stoke Petra's hair gently, soothing her as he infused **Peace** Magic into his touch. "You want to get stronger, right?"

"Yeah! I want to be really strong like you!" Petra cheered, as she then went to go to sleep, with Ryu sighing in relief once she had finally rested. He then looked at Emilia, who still hadn't let go of his other arm.

"Uh, Emilia-"

"You don't control me, Ryu! I'll let go of you when I feel like it! I don't want you running off again!" She retorted, as Ryu just gave in for now since he didn't see too much of an issue with this situation. He then sighed as he leaned back slightly, looking out the carriage.

"Man… I just can't wait to see Rem again. I wonder how she'd react to me being the one to beat a Witch Cult Archbishop singlehandedly!" Ryu laughed slightly, as he then felt Emilia tug at his jacket. "What is it, Emi?"

"Ryu-kun…" She looked at him with confusion, as Ryu's dread only grew. "Who is… Rem?" It took mere moments for Ryu's mind to register the words, and he instantly reacted, horror grasping his soul.

What did she mean, who's Rem? Didn't she know-

Instantly, two headaches struck him, coming and fading just as fast as they came; but Ryu only felt more dread as he tapped into the purified **Hate** within Crusch to see destruction for a moment, along with a strange man walking over to Crusch's unconscious form… along with Rem on the floor, comatose next to her.

Ryu, in the next few moments, was overtaken by grief… and _rage_.

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 3, Chapter 5 - Sloth vs Determination (** _ _**怠惰** _ _**vs** _ _**決定** _ _**) - END** _


	10. Birth of Greed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryu takes out his anger on the ones responsible for the loss of Rem and eventually is tasked with finding Roswaal and the villagers of Arlam so their families may be reunited. But he gets a bit more than he gambles for and meets an old friend... the Witch of Greed herself.

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 4, Chapter 1 - Birth of Greed (** _ _**強欲の誕生** _ _**)** _

* * *

_LAST TIME, ON RE: DETERMINED_

* * *

Later, back in Otto's carriage, Ryu smiled at the sleeping forms of the Arlam kids and Teymin, sitting in the cart with Emilia next to him. Ryu blinked when he felt something grab him and looked over to see Petra attached to his arm. "Uh… Petra? What're you-"

"She had you all to herself earlier!" Petra exclaimed as Ryu felt dread settle into his soul, with sins he didn't even have crawling on his back. Petra then looked over at Emilia, almost as if challenging her. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Um… it's not like that, Petra-chan!" Emilia tried to calm down the girl, who seemed unimpressed. "Ryu and I were… just talking about some important things!"

Petra stuck out her tongue at Emilia, as expected of someone her age. "I'm not gonna lose to you! Do you hear me?!" Emilia seemed briefly alarmed before a more serious expression settled on her face.

"Even if you are a child, I can't take such a rude attitude from you!" Emilia said, as she then grabbed Ryu's other arm, stunning the young man for a moment before he tried to diffuse the situation.

"Hey, Petra! I recommend you rest, so we can get to the next stage of your training with soul magic! I want to see if you can summon your own Familiar, but that kind of training requires you to be well-rested." He began to stoke Petra's hair gently, soothing her as he infused **Peace** Magic into his touch. "You want to get stronger, right?"

"Yeah! I want to be really strong like you!" Petra cheered, as she then went to go to sleep, with Ryu sighing in relief once she had finally rested. He then looked at Emilia, who still hadn't let go of his other arm.

"Uh, Emilia-"

"You don't control me, Ryu! I'll let go of you when I feel like it! I don't want you running off again!" She retorted, as Ryu just gave in for now since he didn't see too much of an issue with this situation. He then sighed as he leaned back slightly, looking out the carriage.

"Man… I just can't wait to see Rem again. I wonder how she'd react to me being the one to beat a Witch Cult Archbishop singlehandedly!" Ryu laughed slightly, as he then felt Emilia tug at his jacket. "What is it, Emi?"

"Ryu-kun…" She looked at him with confusion, as Ryu's dread only grew. "Who is… Rem?" It took mere moments for Ryu's mind to register the words, and he instantly reacted, horror grasping his soul.

What did she mean, who's Rem? Didn't she know-

Instantly, two headaches struck him, coming and fading just as fast as they came; but Ryu only felt more dread as he tapped into the purified **Hate** within Crusch to see destruction for a moment, along with a strange man walking over to Crusch's unconscious form… along with Rem on the floor, comatose next to her.

Ryu, in the next few moments, was overtaken by grief… and _rage_.

* * *

"Thank you for the feast!" Rai Batenkaitos, the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, said as he dropped Rem; having eaten her memories and name. It wasn't filling, but it was most certainly _something_. He was quite looking forward to meeting that 'Hero' that this now nameless girl mentioned too. Oh well, time to move on. He shifted his gaze to the unconscious Crusch Karsten, walking over as he licked his lips. "More, more, more! I just can't get enough!"

" **Get away from them!"** Both Rai, and the man accompanying him, Regulus Corneas; Sin Archbishop of Greed, heard as a large wave of red energy came their way. Rai was forced to jump away from Crusch, as the wave narrowly missed Regulus, both stunning and enraging him.

"Who did that? Who dared to not only dare perform a wide-range attack like that to attack someone else but also didn't have the backbone to go through with it?!" Regulus ranted, as he looked around with a furious expression on his face. "That goes against my rights to have a proper fight!"

" **I don't give a shit about your rights, Witch Cultists."** Ryu hissed, as he walked over to them slowly, his Sword of Determination in hand and a dark red and black aura surrounding him.

"You!" Regulus tried to attack the man with his Authority but was stunned as it was stopped by an invisible forcefield. Ryu finally looked up at the Witch Cultists responsible for his beloved Rem being hurt, his eyes glowing a dark crimson color as he pumped every ounce of **Hate** that he had control over into his stats, or more specifically; his LV, which jumped straight to 10.

* * *

_**Name: Ryutensei** _

_**Soul: Determination/Justice Hybrid (Peace) + HATE** _

_**LOVE: 10** _

_**HP: 71** _

_**Max HP (Current): 71** _

_**ATK: 44 (+100)** _

_**DEF: 44 (+100)** _

_**EXP Value: 1,201** _

_**GOLD: 0** _

_**Lugunican Currency: 0** _

_**Kills: 10 (1 Human, 8 Wolgarm, 1 White Whale [Kill Assist])** _

_**Equipment: Aicenfall (Sage's Sword), Alestian Amulet** _

_**Traits: Justice, Determination, Bravery, Integrity, (limited) Kindness** _

_**Abilities: Black Warp, Peaceful Aura, Alestian Aura, Black Lightning, Pain Resistance. Others locked due to lack of Determination Potency.** _

* * *

Regulus took a step back momentarily, stunned by the aura of malice surrounding this boy, before taking offense to everything about his existence again. "Oi, who said you could come here and start interrupting me! Not only that, you dared to have the audacity to-" Ryu raised a hand and snapped his fingers, not only sending what he saw as an annoying self-absorbed man away but taking half of his power as his own. He forcibly stole half of the man's Corruption, his Authority, and made it his own. He then refocused on Rai.

"Are you the one who ate Rem's memories?" He asked in a deadly calm tone of voice, with Rai having enough sense to be terrified for a while.

"Y-yeah! What of it?" Rai retorted, trying to seem like he wasn't scared of the man in front of him, who was glaring at him with eyes filled with hatred and malicious intent.

"I'm about to make you my _bitch_ , then." Ryu disappeared and reappeared in front of Rai, punching the teenaged Archbishop of Gluttony with a fist coated in **Retribution Fire**. The young boy rolled on the floor in pain, as Ryu then kicked them. "Come on, I know your sins are now burning away at your face, but you should try putting up some sort of fight!" He kicked at their face, forcing them to face them, as he then picked them up by the scuff of their clothes, glaring at them with nothing but pure hate. "Now, I'm going to have fun making you suffer. No one hurts the ones I love." Ryu then threw the Archbishop into the air, snapping his fingers as **Black Warp** created a flurry of knives, spears, bones, and other weapons that ground Rai's body into a fine bloody mist. Ryu then snapped his fingers again, as he looked down at Rai, who seemed to still be in shock over dying. "Oh? Did that scare you?" Ryu leaned in, as Rai looked at him in genuine fear. "We've only just begun, _freak_."

* * *

Over the next few days (or at least, to Ryu and Rai, it was days) Ryu tortured the Archbishop of Gluttony. He killed them, torture them, shoved them into their worst fears repeatedly, each time driving Rai more and more insane, to the point the teenage-looking Archbishop barely reacted to anything anymore. Ryu kicked at them, waiting for a reaction. "Come on, don't tell me you've just broken after a week." He scoffed, as the man whimpered in fear. "Man, I've seen some pathetic shit in my past, but you're just something else. Best put you out of your misery." Ryu reached over and grabbed the Archbishop's neck and snapped it with ease, hearing the ding of him gaining another point of LV in the back of his mind. He sighed, using **Black Warp** to set his LV to lock there, as he didn't want to start losing his mind from excess LV.

Ryu then walked over to Rem's comatose form as time finally resumed for the rest of the world, holding the maid's body close to him as tears formed in his eyes. "Rem… I'll fix this, don't you worry." He whispered, as he held a hand over her comatose body and tried to use **Black Warp** to-

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

Ryu's eyes widened before he gritted his teeth. "No! I'm not giving up!"

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

"Don't give me that crap! Fix her! Fix everything!" Ryu shouted, growing desperate as tears began to fall from his eyes.

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

_*Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'._

"No… please…" Ryu begged the System, the origin of his power. He couldn't lose Rem too. "Please, don't do this!"

_***Black Warp is unable to restore the existence of Character: 'Rem'.** _

"..." Ryu felt multiple emotions at this moment. Hate. Wrath. Guilt. Regret. Sadness. Determination. But one emotion eventually overcame the rest, as he grit his teeth in anger, his eyes glowing brightly. "Rem, I promise… I'm going to find a way to bring you back to me."

He was filled with pure Greed, and his Determination compounded with it to take his newly acquired (read: stolen) Authority of Greed into him.

_*New ability acquired: Authority of Greed - "_ _**Immutable Love"** _ _._

* * *

Later, Ryu sat in a room, where he silently watched over the sleeping form of Rem. He clenched his fists in anger, feeling nothing but hateful towards himself for being too weak to save the woman who saved him. "Rem… I'm so sorry, Rem…" He silently wept as he held the comatose girl's hand. "I said I'd be a Hero, that I would save everyone… but I wasn't even able to save you. I failed you."

He then felt a change in the air as Puck formed right next to him, looking over in the Great Spirit's direction. "Oh, hey Puck. How are you?" He asked listlessly.

"Wow, you seem pretty unmotivated! I'm surprised to see the one who beat not one, but two Sin Archbishops in the same day act like this." Puck seemed genuinely surprised, as he landed on Ryu's free hand. "But seriously… are you alright?"

"I'll… I'll be fine, Puck." He said, avoiding Puck's gaze entirely.

"Ryu… I don't want to burden you when you have so much responsibility and guilt on your shoulders, but…" Ryu looked at Puck, who smiled sadly. "Take care of Lia for me, okay, _oi_?" Puck then dispersed, leaving Ryu alone with Rem as he looked at his **Interface**.

400 times. He had attempted to use Black Warp to bring back Rem 400 times, each time being a failure. He had almost lost all hope in bringing her back… but he knew if he just got stronger. "Determination breaks all laws. It can do anything if you have enough of it." Ryu muttered to himself, trying to keep his spirits up. "Just stay Determined, and everything will turn out fine. I'll save Rem someday, I know it." Ryu sighed, eventually leaving Rem's side, but not before whispering his love to the sleeping girl; hoping she would wake up someday so he could either show or tell her how her Hero was faring.

As he left the room, he encountered Crusch, remembering that he had saved her from having her memories eaten. "So, this is where you were… how is she?" Crusch asked, now wearing casual clothing.

"No changes at all, despite my best efforts. Guess I just have to wait and pray things work out." Ryu sadly smiled, as the Warrior Princess walked over to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"She'll pull through this, Ryu. And so will you, I'm sure of it. Nothing can keep you down for long." Crusch encouraged, as he smiled sadly.

"Right… though you probably didn't come all this way to just tell me that." Ryu realistically thought. "What's going on?"

"Everyone's gathered in the lounge to discuss things. It's about the alliance." Crusch elaborated, as Ryu's gaze hardened.

* * *

"The situation has grown quite dire, as you've seen, Ryu-kyun." Felix eventually addressed him, as Ryu had mostly tuned out the conversation since it wasn't directed towards him yet. "With the increase of activity of the Witch Cult, and Crusch-sama being endangered because of it, how can we be sure this Alliance is safe to manage?"

"Felix! We have-" Ryu raised a hand as Crusch was about to admonish the knight, with a calm expression on his face.

"You should know that I was the one who felled the Archbishop who put my Rem into the 'Sleeping Beauty' state, as well as the one who almost stole Crusch's memories," Ryu said, stunning Felix. "I have taken out Sloth and Gluttony, as well as assisted in the felling of the White Whale, all in one day. I even helped in the healing of Crusch, restoring her arm to full functioning condition. I can guarantee that in the condition the Witch Cult comes for the Crusch Camp, I will be on the battlefield to assist you all."

He had successfully stunned everyone in the room into silence, as his red eye gleamed with Determination. Soon, Felix sighed as he saw the resolution in the Prince's eyes. "I suppose when you say it like that, there's nyo way I can turn down the alliance." He then glared at Ryu. "But you better keep your promise, Ryu-kyun!"

"Of course, Felix. I wouldn't dare break a promise." Ryu smiled, as he genuinely refused to break a promise, as after he learned about what happened to his mother; promises became something sacred to him. Emilia then turned to him.

"We should soon rejoin Ram and everyone else at the Sanctuary, and we need to talk things out with Roswaal, too. We should get going." Emilia said, as Ryu slowly nodded. That seemed reasonable enough, he supposed. He then winced as a memory hit him with another headache, the face of Roswaal jumping into his mind, but he seemed younger. Without heterochromia, as he just had blue eyes.

_How strange._

* * *

"Ryu-kun and Emilia-san, I would gladly host you two again at my home if you ever need me. I have been indebted to you especially, Ryu-kun." Crusch bowed her head, as did Ryu with a smile on his face.

"We do appreciate your kindness, but we should really be getting the villagers home," Emilia said, as Ryu picked up where she left off, as if they were in sync.

"We'll probably come back after we take them all home and talk to Roswaal, get his opinion on things," Ryu stated, as he then reached a hand out to Crusch, which she shook almost immediately. "As for the debt, please forget about that. You and I are on even grounds, after the help you offered with Sloth, as well as giving me Patrasche here." Upon hearing her name, the Ground Dragon rubbed her face against his, causing Ryu to hiss as he stumbled back. "Okay, your scales hurt more than I expected!" Ryu laughed moments later, as did Crusch and Emilia.

"Ryu-kyun, I've settled Rem-chan in! Make sure to keep an eye on her!" Felix said as he popped his head out of the carriage. Ryu nodded in his direction a moment later. "And make sure to let your Gate rest a bit, you nearly burnt it out with how much power you put into it from your soul!"

Yeah, he found out that Determination mixing with his Gates was not a good idea and he should avoid that at all costs. "Yeah, I'll make sure to do that. Don't worry about a thing, Felix." He responded, as Crusch smiled and began to give them some parting words.

"Emilia-san, I wish you good health." Crusch stuck out her hand for the silver-haired girl to shake. "I look forward to seeing you again very soon." Emilia stared at the hand for a moment or two before hesitantly shaking it.

"You too, Crusch-san. Please be well." Emilia responded. "Next time, I'll be someone who won't need saving. I'll become someone who can save others." At her words, Ryu smiled, as he genuinely believed Emilia could do that.

Crusch then shifted her gaze back to him, as Ryu looked at her as well. "Ryu-kun, I wish you all the best in your future. May your journeys be safe, yet as exciting as your journey in the Underground."

Ryu smiled at her as he stuck out his hand again for a final handshake. "Take care of yourself, Crusch. And make sure to keep training with your magic! I want to see the limits of your new **Infinity Slash**." And with that, they departed, with Ryu climbing into the carriage as he awaited the future ahead of him, hoping and wishing he would be able to reunite with Rem.

* * *

As Ryu sat down after closing the curtains so light wouldn't be hitting Rem's face the entire journey, he sighed and summoned a SAVE point and crushed it to reluctantly update his save. He shook off those emotions, as he only let Determination remain, knowing Rem wouldn't want to see him like this. He had to stay strong, if only for Rem. He then blinked as Emilia sat next to him, looking at her in confusion for a moment but shrugging it off quickly. "Ryu… I know you're worried about Rem. She's important to you, isn't she?" She asked, as Ryu slowly nodded.

"She matters so much to me… it hurts to see her like this," Ryu confirmed. "It's a really selfish wish, but I want to find a way to cure the Sleeping Beauty disease… if only just to save her."

"Ryu, it's fine if you are selfish. Remember what you said to me?" Emilia smiled at him kindly. "As long as your intentions are pure, as long as your heart is in the right place, it's fine if you're selfish. You may just want to find a cure so you can help Rem, but if you do find a cure, I just know you'd give it to the rest of the world so the lost can be awakened."

Ryu stared at her silently, before smiling back at her. "Thank you, Emilia." At that moment, Otto opened up the carriage's window and looked in, smiling.

"Did you just say my name?" Otto asked, as Ryu sighed and smiled up at the merchant.

"No, no one said anything related to you, Otto." Ryu then inwardly grinned as he saw a chance to tease the man. "Wait, have you been there this whole time?" He teased.

"Of course I've been here!" Otto replied in half-horror, half-indignance. "You're the one who hired me to work for you, sir!"

"I know, I know! I was just teasing you!" Ryu grinned, as Otto seemed a bit put out. "I'll inform you more about the position and stuff you'll get as my assistant later, but right now, please pay attention to the road. And don't call me sir, just call me Ryu." Ryu then raised a hand, which had a faint blue glow around it. "Now, it's time for you to get to work."

"A-ah, sir, I mean Ryu, please wait-" He was cut off as Ryu telekinetically closed the window. He then looked at Emilia in silence, before they shared a little giggle, finding it somewhat amusing how quickly Otto was dismissed.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to get her back," Emilia said, as Ryu silently smiled sadly at the girl. "I also think you and I are the same in the sense that we act for our own selfish reasons. Like I said, I realize I'm participating in the Royal Selection for selfish reasons."

"I recognize that… but I don't understand what exactly you mean by that," Ryu said in confusion.

"I'm sorry, but… I can't explain it very well." Emilia apologized. "I don't want to hide anything from you, but I'm just unsure of how to put it into words."

"We can figure everything out later then, after we meet up with Roswaal." Ryu calmly put a hand on her shoulder, smiling all the while. "Who knows, he might be able to help me with my current issues!"

"Ryu, we'll be reaching our destination soon, sir!" Otto's voice said from outside the carriage, as Ryu lazily looked over in that direction.

"Hey, didn't I tell you to cut off the 'sir'?!" He demanded the man, who apologized profusely from the outside, causing Ryu to grin. He could see messing around with his new assistant and friend would never get boring.

* * *

Once they had arrived back at Arlam, it only took Ryu half a minute to realize something was wrong. He performed a quick pulse to search for the villagers, and only found half of them to be appearing on his soulsight's radar. He was somewhat worried, but he just shook it off and assumed that Ram just hit a delay with returning the villagers to the Sanctuary. "Emi," Ryu turned to the silver-haired girl, as Teymin jumped out of the carriage. "Do you know where this 'Sanctuary' even is?"

Emilia seemed surprised by his question. "Huh? I thought _you_ knew where it was!" Ryu was briefly startled by this, as he realized both he and Emilia were lost when it came to the mysterious Sanctuary's location.

"What even _is_ the Sanctuary?" Ryu asked, deciding to change the subject so he could learn more about the place so he could hopefully find it.

"I'm not exactly sure," Emilia admitted to Ryu's slight disappointment. "Roswaal only said it was like a secret base… and…"

"And?" Ryu raised an eyebrow, as Emilia eventually shook her head.

"Never mind. Forget I said that. I probably should have just asked Roswaal…" Emilia said as she looked down, with Ryu sighing slightly.

"We should head to the mansion, then. Try to search for some clues." He looked over in the villagers' direction, as he wanted to reunite the people with their families. "I've got a new mission: Reunite the villagers. Otto, you're coming with us!"

"R-right!" Otto stammered, obviously terrified of the idea of being sent to Roswaal Manor, but he quickly got over it as he realized it was likely to be the place he would be working at as Ryu's assistant and manager of funds.

"Try to be braver, Otto. There's a difference between fearlessness and bravery. One will get you killed, the other will have a much higher chance of you living. Either physically or in spirit," Ryu advised, as he took carried Rem out of the carriage in a bridal carry. He then looked up at the mansion, smiling slightly. "Just take the carriage and Ground Dragons around the back, and then come meet up with us on the inside. We'll be waiting."

"Of course, Ryu…" Otto sighed as he drove the carriage away, with Ryu taking steps to the mansion's entrance. He then looked at the sleeping girl in his arms, his eyes softening.

"We're back, Rem." He said to the sleeping Oni, still silently wishing that his Determination was as strong as it used to be, where his Dreams could become Reality. If he had that strength, he surely would change Reality to one where his Rem was alive and well. But he had to accept this accursed one for now. He then looked up at the doors to Roswaal Manor, an eyebrow raised. "I don't remember the doors being locked when we left… what's up with that?"

"Beatrice stayed behind, so I don't think we have to worry about anything," Emilia said, as Ryu hummed. That was true. Beatrice was a natural fighter when it came to magic. Heck, she was a freakin' monster too, since she was able to learn every type of Soul Magic he had to offer. Of course, her Determination was purely Spell-based and didn't give her SAVE/LOAD capabilities, but he was still genuinely impressed… and a little scared. "Maybe she'll come for us if we knock."

Ryu laughed slightly at Emilia's words. "Maybe she'll come flying through it, looking for Puck." He joked as Emilia giggled a little in amusement. He then formed a **Hate Arm** from his back and had it knock on the door, as he waited for the door to open.

"Yes, one moment please," An unfamiliar voice called out, as Ryu briefly panicked, actually thinking someone had broken into the mansion… before the doors were opened by a blonde woman in a maid's uniform, who had curtsied a little before them. "Welcome home, Emilia-sama. Ryu-sama. I have awaited your return."

"Frederica? You've returned?" Emilia asked in surprise, as Ryu took note of that name in the back of his mind. The woman grinned widely, showing sharp teeth that sent shivers down Ryu's spine as he was pretty sure those kind of teeth could shred him to the bone and then some.

"Yes, it is I, Frederic-"

" **HOLY FUCKING SHIT THOSE TEETH ARE** _ **TERRIFYING**_ **!"** Ryu heard Shi's voice come out of his **Hate Arm** , which he had forgotten to retract. His eyes bugged out as he didn't know Shi could communicate through his **Hate** appendages.

Later, Ryu's ear was being tugged on by Emilia, which genuinely hurt. Why? Because Shi had faded, and since Shi was apart of him, Emilia had decided to punish _him_ for his crude language.

"Allow me to introduce myself," The blonde maid bowed to them, as Emilia eventually let go of Ryu's sore and aching ear. "I am Frederica Baumann. I was employed here in the past."

"Oh… now I think of it, I think I've heard of a past maid who used to work here. You quit for some personal reasons, right?" Ryu asked as he tilted his head to the side slightly.

"Yes, you would be correct. I just needed to take a leave of my own." Frederica confirmed with a smile (thankfully one without her teeth, he didn't need Shi figuring out other ways to mention her, as he put it 'sharp-ass teeth'). "I just returned at Ram's request and found the mansion empty. Fortunately, I found a letter in the master's office that gave me an idea as to what had happened."

"A letter?"

"Why did Ram ask you to come back?" Ryu asked immediately after Emilia, as he had a feeling it _could_ just be so someone would watch over and clean the Mansion, but he wanted to clear all bases.

"When I returned, the kitchen and the trees in the garden were in a desolate state. It was quite awful," Frederica said, clearing Ryu of any suspicions that something else was going on, for now at least.

"It's strange though. Ram always worked hard for us while you were away." Emilia said, allowing Ryu to take note of this information… which temporarily sent Ryu spiraling down a cycle of questions. If Ram was now the one who was diligent and good at everything, then what happened in this new timeline in events? Did he save Ram from the Mabeasts? How did the Night of the Mabeasts even go down? Who was it who gave him his Determination back, to the rest of the world? He shook his head, as he decided to not think about Cause and Effect, since it was a headache. Even for him, someone who was technically a Time Traveler, who was immune to both Fate and the changes of timelines; didn't have the time nor the energy to try and figure out cause and effect. Besides…

_Nothing could replace the effect Rem's love had on him. He was sure his bond with her was still there, and that she was the cause of his Determination's return. Nothing would change that._

"I don't know exactly what's going on, but I have a suspicion it has to do with Rem. With her gone from the timeline of events, erased from the world, Ram could only handle things for so long…" Ryu theorized, as Frederica looked in his direction.

"Ryu-sama, would you mind explaining who this girl is? She has a striking resemblance to Ram." Frederica asked, as Ryu dejectedly looked in Rem's direction.

"She's Ram's younger sister, Rem. No one will remember her but me though, because of the effects that came with the Archbishop of Gluttony eating her existence." He smiled sadly up at Frederica. "All you need to know is this. She was Ram's sister, and that she used to work here alongside you and Ram."

"I see…" Frederica put a hand to her chin as she thought. "I wonder how the master and Ram will react once they return."

"I can't get a read on that guy, so I have no idea what he would do in any situation," Ryu muttered, truly perplexed by the nature of Roswaal's existence. He never trusted the man, since he saw how ancient his soul was. It just made him even more uncomfortable when he compared it to the memory of young Roswaal he saw.

"Hey, Frederica, have you heard anything from Roswaal?" Emilia asked the substitute maid, who shook her head.

"I have no way of knowing all that goes in the Master's mind," Frederica said, as she shifted her gaze to look directly at Ryu. "I believe there are only two people in this world he trusts enough for that."

"Two?" Ryu raised an eyebrow in curiosity, as he needed to learn more and more if he wanted to figure out what to do moving forward.

"Ram, and the Great Spirit of this Mansion's Forbidden Library," Frederica elaborated, as Ryu jumped to his feet and immediately disappeared, off to find Beatrice to learn more. "...He's certainly quick on his feet."

Emilia smiled slightly, amused by the sight of Ryu running off. "He is, isn't he?"

* * *

Ryu searched the mansion, his eyes closed as he tried to extend his senses to find Beatrice. He was extremely lucky when it came to finding her Library, despite her efforts to block him with her Door Crossing in the past. But ever since then, she seemed much more tolerable and less evasive of him. "Now, let's see here. Which door should I pick…" Ryu randomly reached for a door, opened his eyes, and opened the door to see the vast library before him, with Beatrice sitting on her stool, reading a book per usual. She looked up when she heard the sound of her doors opening, a bored expression on her face.

"I had a feeling you had returned when that potent Mana of yours entered the building, I suppose." Beatrice sighed, as she eventually stood up and put her book away. "What is it that you want, Ryu?"

"Wow, straight to the point, huh Bet?" Ryu hummed, as he closed the door behind him with a faint smile. "How well do you know what Roswaal is thinking?" He asked. At his words, Beatrice seemed somewhat vexed for a moment. "I heard on the grapevine that you know how Roswaal thinks, and right now I think I'll need someone like that."

"Who said-" Beatrice stopped herself. "Ah, it was the half-beast girl who just came back, wasn't it?" Ryu nodded, as she sighed. "There is a bit of accuracy to what you have heard, I suppose." She then pointed at him accusingly. "But my connection with Roswaal has nothing to do with the current circumstances."

"But you stayed here at the mansion by yourself, with not a single countermeasure in place. Hardly sounds like something you'd normally do." Ryu commented.

"I am capable of protecting myself and you know it, I suppose!" Beatrice snapped. "And what do you know of me? We've barely known each other for a month!"

"Huh… and for Roswaal?" Ryu raised an eyebrow, with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I don't believe he had nothing on his mind at all, I suppose." She answered in her usual manner, with Ryu humming with thought.

"I see. Well, that reminds me. Take a look at this." He drew out Petelgeuse's Gospel, with a grim expression on his face. Beatrice seemed startled to see it for a moment.

"That's… a Gospel…" She then looked up at him with barely repressed rage in her eyes. "Why do you, of all people, have one of those?"

"Spoils of war. It belonged to Geuse." He replied evenly, waiting for a reaction from Beatrice… as she stiffened up and stared up at him with shock in her eyes.

"How… do you know that name? How do you know that name, I suppose?!" Beatrice asked in a frenzied panic, confusion in her eyes as she shot an ice spell at him, which he dodged effortlessly without thinking. He then looked into Beatrice's eyes, with the blonde-haired spirit's eyes widening as she saw Ryu's eyes turn gold. Not just any gold, gold with ice blue specks, which she only remembered in one person. "F-Flugel?"

"Yes, and no. I have a lot of explaining to do, don't I, BB?" He grinned weakly, using his nickname for her, 'BB' or 'Blue Butterfly'.

* * *

"So you're… his reincarnation, then?" Beatrice asked hesitantly, as Ryu shook his head.

"More like _he_ was _my_ reincarnation, and my real body was pulled here just about a month ago," Ryu replied. "BB, I know I'm asking a lot of you since I just dropped a bombshell on you, but can you please give me some sort of hint?"

Beatrice stared at him momentarily, before finally responding to his original question. "All the answers you seek lie in the Sanctuary, I suppose." She said as Ryu stood up. "Roswaal's intentions, the meaning of the Gospel, and many more. All of them are there. If you want them, go there." Ryu nodded and was about to leave, but Beatrice called out to him one final time. "F-Flugel!"

"It's Ryu, BB. Flugel was simply the name my mother gave me once my fragment was reborn in this world." Ryu said as he turned to face her. "What is it?"

She seemed as she was about to ask something, reaching out to him, but had stopped herself moments later. She looked down before staring at him with a resolute expression on her face. "Stay safe, Ryu." She said, as Ryu eventually nodded once his confusion faded away, walking off. As he left, Beatrice's eyes finally teared up. "Why? Why did I do that? Why did I freeze up? I should have asked… I should have asked if he was 'them'..." Beatrice wept silently as she hugged her own Book close to her, cursing her own weakness.

* * *

"So, you really are allowed to enter Beatrice-sama's forbidden library?" Frederica hummed as she poured him a cup of tea, with Ryu looking up at her with a raised left eyebrow.

"What, you thought I couldn't?" He asked as Frederica smiled.

"Yes, but Emilia-sama informed me of how reliable and tenacious you are, Ryu-sama; and she quite thorough of explaining why, so half of me had high hopes you would be," Frederica admitted, as Emilia immediately grew flustered and turned on Frederica.

"Hey, Frederica! You can't just say things like that!" Emilia said rapidly, as she then turned to Ryu in a panic. "It's not what you think, Ryu-kun! I did tell her about you, but she's exaggerating!"

"No, I heard what you said, too!" Otto piped up, adding his two G to the conversation. "It honestly made me think there was more to your relationship with Ryu-sama."

"Oh?" Ryu tilted his head at a 90-degree angle, genuinely puzzled.

"Forget about it!" Emilia begged, before turning to Frederica with a slight glare. "Can we get back on topic?"

"Yes, yes. Of course." Frederica obliged, smiling out of amusement while also trying to avoid angering Emilia further. "Let's talk things over, shall we? We don't want you stopping at a dead end."

"Dead end?" Ryu asked, confusion visible in his heterochromatic eyes.

"Even if you were able to see Beatrice, whether or not she would answer your questions was an entirely different matter." Emilia elaborated. "Both you and Beatrice can be very stubborn, you know." Ryu sighed at that, an amused and tired smile coming to his face.

"I suppose you'd be right about that, especially after all I taught her," He relented, as he looked up at the girls. "And what else?"

"I want to talk with Roswaal. There's a lot of stuff I want to ask him too." Emilia said. "So I asked Frederica to tell me where the Sanctuary is."

"That so?" He shifted his gaze to the green-eyed maid, as he rested his head against the palm of his hand, leaning against the couch he sat on. "Well, Frederica, where is the Sanctuary?"

"I'm no match for Emilia-sama's persistence, even though I have been told to not disclose more information than necessary…" Frederica sighed slightly. "If I may, I would like to request a little time to prepare things. Shall we say… two days?"

"Hm, I suppose that'd be fine. Otto, you'll be driving us there, right?" Ryu lazily looked over at his new assistant, who seemed somewhat offended.

"Do you even have to ask, Ryu? I'm your employee now! Of course, I'll be driving you there!" Otto replied as Ryu grinned slightly, with Otto realizing Ryu was teasing him again moments later. "Stop that, sir! It's not very nice to mess with me like that!"

"Come on, I should be trying to build up a friendly relationship with my assistant, right? Teasing people is just one way I like to mess with people and befriend 'em!" Ryu cheerfully replied, before refocusing back to the original topic. "Right, just tell us what you can about the Sanctuary."

"Very well," Frederica agreed as she bowed in respect. "What I'm about to tell you is the undisclosed location of the Sanctuary of Clemaldy, and how to enter it. As well as one name you mustn't forget once you arrive there."

* * *

" _Beware of the one named Garfiel. At the Sanctuary, he will be the one with whom you should exercise the most care."_

Frederica's warning echoed in Ryu's mind for a while as he silently kept an eye on Rem, a part of him hoping that the blue-haired Oni girl would wake up. Eventually, he sighed and stood up. "No point in just wallowing around in my own despair," Ryu decided, as he knew Rem would hate to see him like this. He then reached out and gently touched Rem's cheek, a melancholic but loving expression on his face. "I promise, Rem. I'll find a way to cure you, and bring you back into my arms." He swore, before leaving the room.

He paused as he noticed Petra standing in front of him in a maid's uniform, as he remembered that she had recently taken up the job to help around. "Oh, hey Petra," He greeted calmly. "Looks like you're ready for work."

"Yep! I'm all ready for my first day!" Petra cheered. "Have you said your goodbyes to Miss Rem?"

"Yeah, I have. Don't know when I'll be coming back, so I just wanted to see her one final time." Ryu scratched the back of his head, a small grin on his face. "Could you take care of her for me, Petra?" He asked the new maid, as she nodded with a wide grin of her own.

"Of course! I'll watch over her and protect her!" Petra swore, as Ryu laughed and ruffled up Petra's hair a bit.

"Thanks, Petra. You're a good friend." He said, as he then walked off.

"Take care of the mansion for us," Emilia told Frederica as Ryu loaded Teymin up into the carriage. The Wolgarm never liked leaving his side, so he just accepted that and took her everywhere he went. "And Rem, Petra, and Beatrice too."

"You can rely on me, Emilia-sama." Frederica curtsied slightly, as did Petra. "Take care during your travels." She then handed out a strange blue crystal on a necklace. "And take this. It will allow you to get past the barrier in the forest and into the Sanctuary. From there, the Ground Dragons should lead you to the location I described."

"So, that stone is a requirement to get past the barrier, huh?" Ryu muttered as Emilia took the necklace. Ryu then felt a tug on his jacket as Petra offered him a white handkerchief, with his eyes lighting up with recognition. That was an old tradition he read about in his mandatory studies, some kind of prayer for travelers. He stuck out his arm as the girl wrapped it around it, before scurrying off to hide behind Frederica. "Man, you're just gonna drive me insane with this sudden change of attitude, Petra." She was acting far too timid for a Bravery soul, and it was kind of depressing.

"The Lost Forest of Clemaldy grows more dangerous as night approaches, so you should all hurry on now." She said, as Ryu nodded and opened up the carriage. He waited for Emilia to enter before closing the door and sitting down himself, as it was only proper.

* * *

"So you're saying Puck isn't showing up?" Ryu raised an eyebrow at what he just heard. "That's definitely strange."

"Yeah… I've called out to him several times already, and I can still feel the link from our contract, but…" Ryu looked to the side as Emilia said this, thinking to what Puck said to him earlier. It couldn't be just a coincidence. "But even still, I'm sure we'll be fine! I still have contracts with Lesser Spirits too, as well as my soul magic!" Emilia summoned her blue Rapier of Integrity into her left hand to demonstrate, as Ryu smiled faintly.

"Right, you've got a point there. We'll be able to protect each other and cover the other's weaknesses." Ryu nodded. "How has your Patience training coming along? Sorry if I haven't been useful on that end."

"It's fine! I've managed to be able to summon one or two threads, but that's about it for now! But I know I can do it, I just need to stay patient I suppose!" She giggled, as Ryu laughed at the indirect joke.

"Hey!" Otto's voice chimed in as he opened up the window panel. "We've made it to the forest!" At his words, both Ryu and Emilia opened the curtains to look outside in curiosity. He stared at the sprawling woods as he felt another headache coming on, but looked away as the feeling faded once he had looked away from the forest. He then noticed Emilia nervously moving her hand around, it was a minuscule movement but Ryu was able to know how she felt almost instinctually due to how long he had known her by now; as well as his Integrity magic allowing him to sense emotions to an extent.

"You're nervous, aren't you, Emi?" He asked as Emilia looked at him in surprise.

"Huh? How could you tell?" She questioned him, as he shrugged.

"Get to know someone well enough and you get to understand them. Train them personally, and you basically know what they're thinking most of the time. I know most of your nervous ticks by now." He replied.

"Ah… well, I'm sorry if I worried you. It's just that when I think that we're about to arrive at the Sanctuary, a village where only demihumans live…" She trailed off, as Ryu looked down.

"Ah, that's my bad. I should have thought of that before saying anything." He sighed. "You're probably wondering about the possibilities of more half-elves existing in the Sanctuary, huh?"

"I've never seen any half-elves other than myself," Emilia agreed. "But maybe… just maybe in the Sanctuary, I…" Emilia was cut off as the crystal necklace Frederica gave her began to shine brightly, startling Ryu and giving him a bad feeling.

"Okay, I feel like something's up with that thing!" He immediately took things into his own hands as he grabbed the object and was about to throw it out the window, but stopped as he heard a thud. He turned his head to see Emilia hit the floor, unconscious, which sent panic flooding into Ryu's soul! "Emi!" He went to help her, but the crystal in his hands shone even brighter as it blinded him, forcing him to lose consciousness.

* * *

When Ryu awoke, he found himself standing in the middle of nowhere, in the forests of Clemaldy. He looked around, thoroughly confused, as he tried to figure out where he was. He then heard the ruffling of leaves behind him and turned around to see the figure of a short female wearing a white cloak with pink hair, blue eyes, and pointed ears. "Who are you?" He asked cautiously, but the girl said nothing as she turned around and ran off. Ryu immediately gave chase. He had lost track of the girl, which only made Ryu more confused, as he stopped in front of an old looking building. "Where the hell am I?" He muttered as he walked into the building despite common sense telling him not to. "Is this…?" Ryu's eyes widened as a headache assaulted him, this time so much worse than before. It quickly faded, however, as a female voice echoed around him.

" _I see. Is this the root of your desires?"_ He heard as he turned around, with the world around him warping. Ryu now stood in a large, vast plain as he looked around in confusion. "Oh? You're probably still confused, aren't you?" He heard as he looked to the side to see a familiar figure sitting at a tea table. Echidna. His eyes widened, as Echidna appeared hurt. "Oh, how it hurts to see you be so alarmed to see me! Aren't you happy to be able to see me? I know I'm happy to see you, Flugel." She then smiled. "Or is it Ryu now?"

"Sorry, Echidna, but I really don't care about formalities right now. Or reunions. I'm more focused on trying to just get by." Ryu grinned, though it was a bit more forced than usual. He walked up the hill and sat across from the Witch of Greed. "So, _Yamihime_ , what even is this place?"

"You already remember your old nicknames for me, hm? I suppose this only proved your theory about memories being able to be passed down souls true." Echidna smiled slightly. "As for where you are, I have merely invited you to a tea party. I'm sure you remember how we always had them in the past."

"Now that you mention it… yeah, I do." Ryu agreed as he looked up at the blue skies. He then looked down at the teacups in front of them, an eyebrow raised. "Is this normal tea, or Dona Tea?" He asked as Echidna giggled.

"You know me too well, Ryu-kun. It is in fact, my Dona Tea." She confirmed his suspicions, as Ryu sighed tiredly.

"And I can't act like I haven't drunk some before. Whatever. Bottoms up, then." Ryu said as he downed the cup of tea casually despite knowing what it was. Spend years of your life talking and teaching Echidna about your original world, and you eventually get used to her antics, as well as grow numb to the shock factor of her tea's true ingredients. "Now…. what do you want from me, Dona?" He asked as he put down the teacup.

"Nothing, really. I will admit, I am genuinely happy that I was given a chance to see you again, old friend. But you have come here of your own accord. Your subconscious wanted to come here." Echidna said as she leaned forward. "So the real question is, what do you want? What do you want to know?"

"What do you mean by that?" Ryu asked as Echidna hummed.

"Let us get rid of everything. We don't need this world to converse, now do we?" Echidna said as the world around them began to evaporate and fade away. "All we need are our words, old friend. Let me affirm all the desires, the curiosities, the greed that now lies in your soul… that you seek to satisfy with answers." The world then _broke_ , as an infinite realm that reminded Ryu of the void now surrounded them. "I know you are still slowly regaining your memories, so what would you like to know? Would you like to learn about the Witch of Gluttony, Daphne, who created beasts that defied the will of God to save the world from starvation?" Ryu tilted his head to see a vaguely familiar figure formed by the smoke around them. "About the Witch of Lust, Carmilla, who granted emotions to non-human beings in an attempt to fill the world with love? About the Witch of Wrath, Minerva, who healed people as she stuck them as she lamented the state of a war-torn world? About the Witch of Sloth, Sekhmet, who drove a dragon past the Great Waterfall just for a chance to rest? About the Witch of Pride, Typhon, who, out of youthful innocence and cruelty, judged criminals one after the other? About the Witch of Greed, Echidna, the embodiment of the thirst for knowledge, who has done things she regrets even in the realm of death, all to pursue everything the world has to offer?" Echidna then smiled at him darkly, as Ryu felt like something was off. This wasn't the Echidna he remembered from his fragmented memories. "Or would you like to know about the Witch of Envy, who killed all the other Witches and used them as sustenance while she made the whole world her enemy?"

Echidna's smile then turned somewhat sardonic, as her eyes gave off a sinister glow. "Or would you like to learn about yourself, about Flugel Aicenfall, the Sage who created the Authorities in an effort to rid himself of sin? The Creator of the Modern Witches of Sin?" Huh. When she said it like that, Ryu did sound like a selfish asshole. "The Friend of the Witches, who was the only non-Witch who accompanied them on their meetings and Tea Parties?" The world then returned to normal, as Ryu collapsed into his seat, with headaches panging at his head and his chest clenching up in pain. "Oh? That was far quicker than I thought. Probably unnecessary, but I did want to be sure your resistance was strong enough for the future. Now we can talk at leisure."

"Dona, couldn't you have just told me in advance? If I was anyone else, I probably would be angrily shouting at you right now." Ryu gritted his teeth in pain and annoyance, as Echidna giggled.

"Perhaps, but it's amusing to see you be annoyed with me. It reminds me of our past." Echidna said, as Ryu eventually calmed down, a nostalgic expression on his face.

"Yeah… our past." Echidna was technically the first Witch Ryu met when he was Flugel since she was born one. But she had only gained her title of Greed after she had found and absorbed the Authority of Greed. He, as Flugel, tracked her down and met her on her original home; her floating island. He was originally aiming to take the Authority back so he could seal the Corruption away, but when he saw Echidna's determination to help others, he allowed her to keep it as long as she didn't commit evil. Evil intent would only strengthen the Corruption, after all. Ryu sighed again, as the pain faded. "Just tell me what the purpose of this even was."

"You have killed both the Archbishop of Sloth and an Archbishop of Gluttony, have you not? You even fragmented the Authority of Greed. Now, all three of those Authorities have chosen you as their dwelling, meaning you have new powers your body has forgotten how to use." Echidna explained. "All I did was use my tea to fortify your body and soul, so you can better adapt."

"Hm. I suppose I should be thanking you then." Ryu sighed. It did make sense, ever since his battle with Asriel, his soul's Corruption had disappeared; leaving him without it for what was technically months. Now that he was suddenly reintroducing it into his body, his soul would act adversely unless something helped him adapt, which in this case was Dona's Tea.

"Ah, those words of kindness mean so much to me!" Echidna seemed embarrassed, as she looked away and rested her hand against her head with a faint blush on her cheeks. "It's been so long since we've met, and now you've returned you treat me with just as much, if not more kindness! Truly, our friendship is immutable!" She then turned to face him again with a more genuine smile. "I do wonder what tales you have to tell me, Ryu-kun. Those books you gave me back in the day were certainly interesting, and I know you've had some sort of adventures back 'home' as you'd put it."

"And I will tell you each and every one of them… in the future." Ryu sighed as he got up, to Echidna's surprise. "I've got some stuff to do, Dona, so I can't stay indefinitely, as much as I would love to catch up." He then turned around and was about to take his leave, as Echidna panicked.

"Wait, you can't leave! Not yet! We've only just begun to talk! Come on, I'm the Witch of Greed, I have knowledge people would just dream of acquiring!" Echidna begged, as Ryu stopped and sighed. "Can't you stay a bit longer? We can work together to-"

"Not happening, Dona. There are people I care about who could be in danger. I can't stay." He said to the Witch, who seemed partially dejected and partially stunned. Ryu could sense her disappointment was genuine, as he then turned to face Echidna. "Just give me some time, and I'll visit you soon enough. We can have another Tea Party then, and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

"You ask me… a dead woman, your friend at that… to wait for an unspecified date…" Echidna hid her face in her arms as she faceplanted the table. "You ask me to agree to that if it was just a simple thing…"

"Dona, I swear on my Integrity that I will visit soon." He said, as she then looked up with some hope in her eyes. Ryu had no idea why he was risking his own Integrity, but then again this was one of his oldest friends he was speaking to. "Just stay patient like I know you are, and we'll be chatting away before you know it."

"You better keep that promise, Ryu-kun." Echidna eventually said, as she got up and walked over to him, invading his personal space somewhat. "But you must promise me something in addition to that. You will not tell anyone of what transpired here today."

"Well, might as well double down. I swear on my Integrity that I'll never mention the fact I met you to anyone." He swore though he did feel somewhat uncomfortable from the closeness of Echidna. The Witch of Greed smiled.

"Well then, since you're so adamant on that, I'll send you away with a souvenir." Echidna hummed, as she trailed a hand across his chest. "I will grant you the right to face the Trials of the Sanctuary. You may not understand now, but once you learn where it is, you will realize its worth. I do wonder… what feelings you'll hold towards me when that happens?" She then brought her hand back, as she licked it, as Ryu smiled weakly.

"You've really changed, Dona." He commented as a red gleam appeared in the young woman's eyes.

"Ah, I've only accepted the truth of who I am as a Witch, Ryu-kun. Nothing more, nothing less." She then pressed against his nose, and pushed him into a portal, smiling all the while. " _Boop_. See you later, Ryu-kun.~"

* * *

_Warm._

The first thing Ryu felt as he woke up was the warmth of the stone floor beneath him, as he slowly got up. He knew to anyone else it probably would be cold, but then again, it took absolute zero temperatures for him to actually react to the cold. Side-effects of his Ice-element Colorless Magic. He stood up as his eyes shone in the darkness. "I should get going by now…" He muttered, as he made his way out of the Sanctuary. His eyes narrowed, as he remembered what happened in the Tea Party, but also knew he shouldn't mention it if he wanted to keep his Integrity trait. It was his favorite trait, after all, being his mother's. He wasn't going to just throw that away.

He made his way outside and noticed Otto on the floor, stunned and unconscious. "Otto! What happened to you?" He called out as he was about to rush over to them.

"Look at you, just waltzing out of there! You've got some nerve, outsider!" A voice said from behind him, as Ryu instinctually formed a shield behind him and jumped back as a strange teenaged boy punched through said shield. "Well then, looks like we've got a little magician on our hands? What, too scared to fight one-on-one?" The blonde man said as Ryu blinked, staring at him.

"You look a lot like Frederica…" He commented as the man froze up.

"Why the hell did I hear that name come out of your filthy mouth?!" He snapped, as Ryu sighed.

"She gave us directions on how to get here. I'm assuming you're Garfiel." He said as the man nodded with a sharp-toothed grin. He jumped over, as he took a singular sniff at him, making Ryu mildly uncomfortable.

"You've got a powerful scent, but you don't smell entirely human. How curious. I think I'll accompany you and keep an eye on you!" Garfiel declared as Ryu sighed. How annoying.

Now with Garfiel accompanying them, Otto was thoroughly annoyed. "I just got beaten up for nothing… what am I supposed to do with all this excess anger?"

"Use it against me later when we're training, assistant! I'm not gonna let my personal assistant and friend be weak and defenseless! We're gonna work on your strength!" Ryu barked at Otto, leaning against a wall.

"Besides, I already apologized, didn't I?" Garfiel waved him off, as Otto looked at the demihuman with an unimpressed look on his face.

"You call 'hey, sorry, numbskull, I kinda jumped the gun' an apology?!" Otto demanded as Garfiel ignored him outright.

"Anyways, if you would have shown me all this sooner, that would have done it. Could have avoided the entire conflict." Garfiel said as he leaned back. "Gotta act on a ganglion before ya think about it?"

' _What is he even on about?'_ Ryu thought in confusion, as he silently shifted his gaze to Emilia, hoping that whatever happened to Rem somehow didn't get transferred to her. It seemed unlikely and nigh-impossible, but he was paranoid.

"So, I'm guessing by that hair, that's the famous Emilia-sama?" Garfiel said as Ryu nodded slowly. "The silver-haired half-devil that Roswaal's helpin' out." Ryu's eyes flared up with magic as he glared at Garfiel, who grinned. "Oh? You challenging me?"

"Dude, I helped kill the White Whale and have single-handedly killed two Archbishops in the same day. Do you really think I won't beat the shit out of you if you piss me off?" Ryu snapped, his higher LV making him slightly more volatile. Garfiel grinned even wider, seemingly about to reply, but Ryu noticed Emilia slowly awaken and shifted his attention to what was currently more important. "Emi! I'm glad to see you're awake! How are you feeling?" He smiled at her, as she shook her head in confusion.

"Ryu… I'm fine, I think…" She muttered as she seemed half-dazed before her eyes landed on Garfiel and she jumped in front of Ryu in a protective manner, summoning her Rapier. "Who are you?!" She demanded as Ryu felt his heart warm slightly from the scene. Guess Emilia was really serious about the protecting him thing. But he needed to diffuse the situation before things got bad.

Ryu placed a hand on Emilia's shoulder, grabbing her attention as he smiled. "It's fine, Emi. He's not a threat. He's annoying as hell, but he's apparently someone who knows Ram."

"Yeah, I don't want to have to deal with Ram givin' me hell over some random Prince and Princess gettin' hurt, so you two are fine." Garfiel grinned, still laidback and giving Ryu the vibe he didn't believe any of them were threats. Ryu looked into the young man's soul, as he found the bright orange of Bravery in him. Maybe if he figured out if he could trust him, he could train them in the future. He liked their spirit well-enough.

"This is Garfiel," Ryu elaborated at Emilia's confusion, as she dispersed her rapier.

"Garfiel… the one that Frederica told us about?" She asked as Ryu nodded.

"Yeah, and he's helping us find our way to the Sanctuary right now. But just to check one last time, you're not lying about Ram and the remaining villagers being there, right?" Ryu asked Garfiel, as the demihuman boy scoffed.

"If you don't want to believe me, that's fine. Ain't no turning back now, though. We're already way past the barrier." Garfiel grinned in a semi-mischievous manner, as Ryu sighed, his soul's Integrity magic finding no falsehoods in his statement.

"Then… we're in the Sanctuary right now?" Emilia asked as Garfiel laughed.

"C'mon, gimme a break. Didn't you fall asleep because you got close to the barrier?" He said as Ryu shifted his gaze to the man again.

"The barrier?" Emilia muttered before her eyes lit up. "Come to think of it, when the stone glowed..."

"It was at that exact moment." Ryu then looked up at Garfiel after staring at the blue crystal in his hands for a moment. "Why'd it just affect Emilia though?"

"When it's gotta do with you, I have no idea. Your smell is human, but you've got a little extra something in there that makes me think you ain't purely that. You're probably just a type of half-human that people, and the barrier, wouldn't call a true demihuman." Garfiel shrugged. "Don't know for sure, I ain't the type of guy to worry about that crap."

"So… this Sanctuary… is a home for demihumans with mixed blood?" Ryu asked Garfiel again, who nodded.

"You guessed it!" He then shot up to his feet quickly, a wide sharp-toothed grin on his face. "We welcome you Emilia-sama, and your two friends here, too!" Ryu looked out the window after Emilia went to open it, looking upon the Sanctuary's broken down village. "Roswaal likes to go around callin' it the Sanctuary, but it ain't the type of place to deserve such a nice name. Nothin' here but a hodgepodge of nitwits. It's just a dead-end testing ground." Ryu looked around, uncomfortable as he saw the disarray and poor-look of the village. This wasn't right…

"Um, where should…" Otto was trying to look for a place to stop and park the carriage but stopped as the familiar figure of Ram stepped out.

"You're back, huh? Took long enough," Ram abrasively greeted them, her arms crossed over her chest as Ryu jumped out of the panel window, freaking Otto out as he witnessed something that should be physically, magically, and scientifically impossible.

"Oh, hey Ram! What's up!" Ryu greeted as he waved, a large smile on his face.

* * *

"I'm disappointed it took you this long to get here, Otuuyr," Ram said in an unimpressed tone that took a bit of the joy out of Ryu.

"Come on, couldn't you _try_ to act like you're happy to see me for once?" Ryu begged his friend, who only turned around and smirked, unbeknownst to him. She then turned around again, shifting to her professional mode.

"Emilia-sama, I welcome you." She respectfully greeted, a stark difference to her greeting to Ryu, which drained further joy from Ryu's soul. "Roswaal-sama is waiting inside. Allow me to show you two the way." She then looked at Garfiel. "Garf, take the Ground Dragon and carriage somewhere suitable."

"Is that any way to treat me?" Garfiel demanded before a smile came to his face just a moment later, giving Ryu mood whiplash as he witnessed this. "That's just how I like it, though! Alright, cabbie, follow me!"

"Are you speaking to me? That's the worst nickname you've given me yet! Also, why do I have to be alone with you?!" Otto complained, as Ryu sighed and turned to Otto with a smile.

"It'll be fine, Otto. If he gets too rough with you, I'll find a way to revive you." He half-joked, though he was quite serious about the reive part since he never wanted to lose a friend after what happened to Rem.

Otto tried to take what he said as a positive as he rolled off with Patrasche and the carriage. He then sighed through his nose, as he then looked over at Ram. The pink-haired Oni seemed startled by the sudden attention. "What is it?" Ram asked, as Ryu slowly smiled.

"Nothing. I was just wondering how you were doing is all. We haven't seen each other since the split between the villagers, y'know?" He laughed nervously, as Ram seemingly accepted that as she smiled genuinely.

"Well, as you can see, I am as lovely and healthy as ever. Suggesting otherwise would be blasphemous and would truly make you the Crimson Dummy." Ram said as Ryu snickered.

"Of course, forgive me for suggesting such a blasphemous idea, Lady Ram." He said, rolling with everything for the time being, as he was amused.

"You are forgiven, Otuuyr. I am a kind and benevolent woman after all." Ram said before she calmed down from her teasing/joking high. "You'll be happy to know that the villagers of Arlam are safe as well. You can finally rest, Dummy."

At that, Ryu released a breath he didn't even know he was holding, a relieved smile on his face. "Thank goodness…" It was one piece of good news after all, after all the doom and gloom of the days previous.

"Hey, Ram, this isn't really a place to stand around and talk." Emilia piped up, catching Ram's attention. "Would you show us inside?"

"Certainly," Ram said, as she bowed to Emilia. "Follow me." She then led the way inside, as Ryu, Emilia, and Teymin followed close behind.

* * *

"Ah, Emilia-sama and Ryu-sama, it feels like it's been so very long since I've last seen you. Especially you, Ryu-sama," Roswaal said, as Ryu stared at the bandaged form of the Lord of Roswaal Manor and the Mathers Domain. Teymin had fallen asleep already, curled up in the corner.

"What the hell happened to you?" Ryu asked, a genuinely concerned expression on his face. He didn't trust the Lord very much, but this was slightly concerning.

"What could have hurt you so badly?" Emilia said just about the same time as him, while Roswaal laid back down on his bed.

"Well, now, where would I begiiiiin?"

"Actually, scratch that, I don't care anymore." Ryu cut in, now just annoyed by the man's extended vowels. He remembered why he didn't talk with Roswaal much now.

"Roswaal, what is this place?" Emilia asked. "Since we got here… no, since we made contact with the barrier, I've had this anxious feeling in my chest, and I can't relax. I've heard this place be called the Sanctuary, but it doesn't seem to be like one to me at all. In fact, it seems more like…"

"The Witch's Graveyard?" Roswaal finished for her, a smirk on his face that caused Ryu's eyes to widen slightly. "It seems far more fitting to call it that, wouldn't you say?"

"W-what do you mean?" Emilia asked, as Roswaal's smirk never left his face.

"Exactly what I said. Nothing more, nothing less." Roswaal seemed like if he could, he would shrug right now. "This is where the Witch of Greed, Echidna, met her end long ago, and in my mind, it is worth calling a 'Sanctuary'."

"Okay, but why? Why oversee a place with such a backstory?" He asked curiously, trying to confirm his suspicions.

"It's quite simple," Roswaal began. "This land has been overseen by the heads of the Mathers family for generations." Well, that almost confirmed Ryu's suspicions. From Roswaal's explanation, to his ancient soul, to the memory he saw of a young Roswaal. Everything matched up in his mind. But he knew he couldn't call him out on that, that would just be a dumb move.

"Then the Mathers family and the Witch of Greed have-" Emilia tried to say, but Roswaal immediately interrupted her.

" _Echidna_ ," He cut in, straining the name of the Witch of Greed as Emilia looked on in confusion. "Please, when you speak of her, do use her name!" Roswaal smiled. "The name 'Witch of Greed' makes her sound so… evil. That's not very nice, is it?"

"Then… the Mathers family and Echidna have been acquainted for a long time," That was an understatement if his theory was true. "And that's why they've always overseen this place?"

"Yes, but 'oversee' is a bit of an exaggeration," Roswaal said. "Echidna's barrier prevents entry by outsiders that fail to follow the forest's proper procedure. In addition, the barrier has certain effects on those whose blood meets certain conditions. Did you not experience this yourself, Emilia-sama?" Roswaal looked directly at the silver-haired girl, who looked down slightly.

"Okay, I know I said I didn't care anymore, but I really gotta know how you got into that state." Ryu sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. At that Roswaal sighed.

"Do you not find it strange at all, Emilia-sama?" Ram said, grabbing both Emilia and Ryu's attention. "That all the who fled to the Sanctuary, as well as Roswaal-sama and myself, stayed here and didn't return to the mansion?"

"So you stayed because you're hurt?" Ryu raised an eyebrow, as Roswaal smiled slightly.

"We are all being held under house arrest here in the Sanctuary," he said, as Ryu's eyes widened in confusion. That was new. "Myself, Ram, and the people of Arlam. Plus you two, from the moment you entered here." From behind them, the door opened up as Ryu turned to look at Garfiel.

"The hell? You guys are still flappin' your gums in here?" He rudely asked, a bored look on his face.

"If this is true… if we're on house arrest, then Roswaal's injuries…" Emilia began, as Garfiel grinned.

"Nah, he just got hurt because he was rejected by the Trial." Garfiel denied, partially amused. "You've seen what happens to those who come into contact with the barrier. Mixed-bloods who go through that and still come here are never allowed to leave." Now that sounded eerily familiar to Ryu…

" _This is the barrier," The tall form of the King of Monsters said to Ryu in his deep-toned voice. "This is what keeps us all trapped underground. If… if by chance you have any unfinished business, please do what you must."_

Ryu shook off that mini-flashback, internally hoping this barrier didn't require the souls of seven human children to break. "Wait… that would include Emilia too, right?"

"Maybe you too, albino." Garfiel shrugged. "You're an anomaly when it comes to your humanity. Whether you can leave or not is a mystery. But I can say one thing…" He gave Ryu a wide, threatening grin. "I sure as hell won't let you leave without a fight, even if you can go!"

Emilia seemed somewhat startled by the thought of being unable to ever leave, but Ryu… meh, he had already dealt with one Barrier in the past. What was another? "The barrier doesn't mean squat to most people," Garfiel continued. "Doesn't that seem a bit unfair, Emilia-sama? Anyways, the only way to break the barrier is to go through the Graveyard's trial, but if anyone who isn't a mixed-blood tries it…" He left that threat hanging as Ryu's eyes narrowed. "All the villagers are gathered up in one place. So long as no one acts up, we won't hurt 'em. We even give 'em three meals and a nap every day!" He then grew serious, as Ryu was barely able to keep himself from showing his anger. "This is our demand. Break the barrier surrounding this Sanctuary. The only one allowed to do so is you." He pointed at Emilia before he paused and turned to Ryu with a grin. "As for you, I'm feelin' a bit generous. You get one shot at the trial if it accepts you, but if you fail, you ain't gettin' a second chance."

"And what brought that on?" Ryu raised an eyebrow, as Garfiel laughed.

"You're half-human, yet you're not a demihuman. I want to understand you a bit more. But remember, if you fail, that's on you. Who knows what might happen to the villagers?" Garfiel said, as Ryu grit his teeth at the threat towards the people he had grown to care about. He _really_ didn't like Garfiel right now.

* * *

Ryu managed to find his way to where the villagers were being kept and opened the doors, as he looked in to find the other half of Arlam's population. They all looked up and got to their feet as fast as they could as they smiled. "Ryu-sama! You've returned!"

"Thank goodness you're safe!" Ryu smiled back at the kind words of the people, the ones he saw as good friends and almost like an extended family.

"I'm glad to see you're all doing okay!" He greeted them.

"Are the others alright?" A villager asked as he nodded in their direction, ridding them of their worries.

"Is the Lord recovering from his injuries alright? I heard he got hurt trying to help us!"

"We're truly relieved!"

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Ryu called out, as the villagers all stopped talking to give him their full attention. "I'll you know, we got rid of the bad guy who attacked the village. In fact, I killed him with my own hands." The villagers seemed happy to hear that, as they all cheered for him, making him feel somewhat embarrassed by the praise. "But I've also got some more depressing news. Your families are waiting for you back at the village." At that, the villagers calmed down and seemed a bit more dejected. "By your faces, it seems you've been informed of the difficulty of leaving this place. But do not fret! We have someone who will enter the trial to set you free!"

"You mean…?"

"Are you going to do it, Ryu-sama?"

"While I could, I'd only get one shot apparently, and if I failed I'd be putting you guys at risk," Ryu said as he shook his head. "But I know someone who can do it, I believe she can. Plus, she doesn't have a limit or a clause hanging over her head." He stepped aside as Emilia made her way in, as Ryu motioned in her direction. "I'm sure you know who she is. She is my running-mate in the Royal Selection, Emilia. She will be undergoing the trial for you all."

"I-I'm sorry you had to wait so long," Emilia stammered out of nervousness, as the villagers whispered amongst themselves. "In the place of your domain lord, Roswaal L. Mathers, I will undergo the trial! I would appreciate the support!" She bowed towards the villagers, as they stared at her in silence. Ryu could see the nervous shaking in Emilia's hands again, but didn't comment on it since right now she was in the middle of something. He couldn't ruin it right now.

"Let me ask you just one thing," The voice of the old village chief said as she walked out of the crowd, with people stepping aside as she made her way through. "Why do this? You bowed your head to us the last time you saw us, too, but we were the ones who turned you away. If it's because you want us to back you in the Royal Selection, that's just fine as long as you come out and say so." The chief then opened her eyes as she looked directly at Emilia. "But if you have some other reason, we would like to know… that you are not a witch who is beyond our comprehension."

Emilia silently looked at Ryu nervously, as the Prince only smiled at her and nodded. A faint blush appeared on her face, before she turned to the villagers with a more determined expression on her face. "I don't have the confidence to give you a respectable answer right now. I don't have any strong, convincing words that would satisfy all of you. But… though it wasn't long, I have spent a few days with your families, the ones who aren't here right now. And it made me realize…" Emilia looked down, grabbing the green crystal that Puck usually resided in. "That families should be together. I want to return you to your families. I didn't promise them that I'd do so, but I promised myself. That is my only reason. I wasn't really thinking of earning your support or anything. But if possible, I'd like to… um… be friends with you all! That's all I want!" Emilia smiled, as Ryu smiled from behind her, quite proud of how far his friend and running-mate had come.

"Emilia-sama…" The village chief began, as Emilia looked at them, somewhat startled. "I realize this will sound like we only care about what benefits us, but… I pray you accept our friendship." The villagers bowed to her en masse, as Emilia was surprised for a moment before bowing back.

"I- I should ask the same! I know I'm not worthy, but please accept my friendship!" Emilia begged as Ryu sighed.

' _Emi really says a lot of olden day stuff no one uses anymore, doesn't she,'_ He thought amusedly, as he made his way out of the building, where Ram stopped him by speaking up.

"Emilia-sama… seems to have changed quite a bit," Ram commented, as she shifted her gaze from the building to the Prince. "Is it because of something you said to her?"

"Don't just automatically assume that, Ram. This was all of her own resolve. I'm not gonna claim any of Emilia's achievements as my own." Ryu shook his head with a smile.

"I suppose you're right… for once," Ram said, taking a final jab at him, with Ryu smiling wider. He had learned to get used to Ram's insults and jabs, knowing they weren't actually coming from anywhere malicious.

* * *

It was now night, and Ryu was waiting for Emilia to finish talking to the Lesser Spirits so she could go along with the Trial. Eventually, the lights faded as she lowered her hands, causing Ryu to speak up. "You got enough encouragement from the Spirits?" He asked as she nodded.

"Yes, but I would like a little encouragement from you too, Ryu-kun." She said as Ryu hummed.

"Alright then." He closed his eyes, as a faint red aura surrounded him, and then moments later a blue one surrounded Emilia. "May the Delta Rune guide you, and may Determination give you strength." He performed a small prayer for her, as he then opened his eyes with an amused expression on his face. "I haven't prayed to the Angel's Heaven or anything in general in a long time, so consider this a special occasion."

Emilia giggled as the auras around them faded. "I thank you for the support anyway, Ryu-kun." She then made her way to Echidna's Tomb, as it began to glow brightly, accepting her presence.

"That means she's been accepted as a qualified challenger in the trial," Garfiel commented, pointing out what Ryu already knew, but Ryu wisely didn't mention that.

"I'm going now!" Emilia announced as she made her way in, with Ryu looking at Garfiel.

"I know this situation and all sucks, but I wonder… why haven't you done anything to complete the Trial yourself?" He asked curiously, as Garfiel grit his sharp teeth together in frustration.

"If I could, I would, damnit," Garfiel said, as Ryu took that as a note that he couldn't complete or enter the Trial for some reason. The lights in the Tomb then went dark, as Ryu felt a bit worried.

"Is that supposed to happen?" He asked Garfiel, hoping Emilia was fine in there.

"The light's not supposed to go out as long as the trial's going on…" Garfiel muttered in disbelief, as Ryu's eyes widened. He then rushed towards the Tomb, determined to find Emilia. "Hey, wait a second, albino-hair!"

The red and white-haired teen then noticed the Tomb glow, as did Ram and Garfiel, who stared in shock. "You all stay back! If I need you, I'll call for you!" He yelled, as he then rushed through the glowing halls of Echidna's Tomb, finding an opened door. He walked through and found Emilia, unconscious on the floor as he reached out to her, but then…

" _First, you must face your own past."_

Ryu blacked out before he could even reach her.

* * *

Ryu slowly awoke in his room, his head aching and his eyes stinging as he looked around the lavish and wide-open space of his room. Armor stands, weapons of all kinds, and bookshelves lined with hundreds of history books and Magic books surrounded him. He slowly got up, still confused and dazed, before a lightning bolt struck just outside his room and made him jump about a meter into the air. Once the fear had left, he heard the boisterous and loud laughter of his father, Shinra Shock.

The King of the Lost Isles laughed at his son's misfortune, a wide grin on his face as he looked at Ryu with his green eyes. "Good morning, son of mine! We have a whole new day ahead of us, so you better get ready for _chaos_!" Shinra said as Ryu stared at the man. "Oi, come on, don't ignore me! Get up!" Shinra snapped his fingers, as Ryu jumped into the air again and landed on his face. He then shot to his feet and snapped at his father, now quite vexed.

"Oi, oi! Why the hell are you spamming lightning attacks in the house, dad?! Do you _want_ mom to kill us?" He demanded as the man stopped.

"Oh. That's a good point." Shinra admitted after a few moments of silence. "We should probably hide."

"It's breakfast time, mom will find us, dad. We'd just be prolonging the inevitable." Ryu replied as he waved his dad out of his room. "Besides, you're her husband. You handle mom, I need to get ready for the day."

"But-" Ryu then silently closed the door on the man and sighed, turning to his mirror as he stared back at his 12-year old reflection and smiled. "Just a few weeks left, until mom takes me to Alestia…" He muttered to himself as he got himself dressed in his royal robes, which consisted of colors related to his trait. Reds, yellows, and purples to compliment the factors of the Soul of Peace. He then made his way out of his room, where he immediately bumped into his mother, Emily Henderson.

The Queen of the Lost Isles and Empress of the Alestian Empire smiled at him, her violet eyes glowing faintly. "Good morning, son. I just heard some thunder and lightning today, and I'm wondering if you might know who caused it?"

"Dad did it," Ryu said instantly, as Emily's smile turned a bit more forced for a moment.

"Ah, thank you for telling me, son. I know I can always trust you." Emily said as she ruffled up the boy's head with a smile. "I know, what kind of cake do you want for your birthday?"

"Red velvet," Ryu answered after a moment, as Emily giggled softly.

"Changing things up, are we son? Well, I'll make sure your birthday cake is the best red velvet cake the Kingdom has to offer." Emily promised him, as she kissed his forehead and took his hand, leading him to the banquet hall.

He sat next to his older brother Blaze, who greeted him with a light punch on the arm. The young Prince winced, but then smiled and punched them back, causing enough damage to annoy his elder brother. "Looks like you're still salty over last night." He joked.

Blaze frowned briefly as he bit into his scrambled eggs. "Shut up, I'm not salty."

"Are you sure…?" Ryu's grin never faded.

"SHUT UP RYUUTO, YOU WIN ONCE AND YOU ACT LIKE YOU'VE WON IT ALL!" Blaze shouted as Ryu looked at him knowingly, leaning into his chair.

"I do though, don't I? Hard to beat me when you have a simple Bravery trait now that I have my Determination unlocked." Those words caused Blaze to simmer down and pout.

"You didn't have to be so cold about it…" The flame-haired teen muttered.

Ryu heard chuckling come from the other side of the table and looked up to see his father laughing at both of his sons with amusement in his forest-green eyes. "You two will always amuse me with this rivalry of yours. Though I am hoping Blaze wins again one day."

"Are you kidding me Shinra?" Emily looked at her husband; equally amused as she raised an eyebrow. "I'm on my little dragon's side, he'll always win with that Determination of his, and I'll always win the bets as long as that continues."

"You two are betting on our spars?" Both Blaze and Ryu said simultaneously, blinking in confusion.

Both Shinra and Emily looked away, whistling innocently as they blatantly ignored the question altogether. Ryu sighed, as he looked at Blaze. "We should schedule our spars in secret from now on." He said to the older teen, who nodded in agreement.

"Agreed, little brother. Mother and father don't need to be betting on our spars, that's just going to change rivalry to something far more toxic." Blaze said as Emily sighed.

"It's not my fault! Your father kept pestering me about it, and I eventually caved in! Don't blame me!" Their mother admitted, as Ryu and Blaze simultaneously glared at Shinra.

"Hey, hey! What's with the sudden hostility! Come on, let's just eat breakfast like a normal family!" Shinra laughed nervously, as Ryu rolled his eyes and took a bite of his own plate's food, and froze. He then looked up at Blaze with an unreadable expression, as did Emily and Shinra.

"Brother, did you cook today?" He asked Blaze, who nodded without a care in the world as he continued to eat.

"Mhm! I bet everything tastes great!" Blaze confidently grinned at them, before noticing their emotionless faces. "Uh… guys? What's wrong-" Ryu instantly pounced onto Blaze as he began to tug on the older teen's leg, bringing pain to him as Ryu had more strength than any normal 12-year-old should. "OW OW OW OW OW! LET GO OF MEEEE!" Blaze hissed, as he grabbed Ryu's arm, burning him with his own magic. Ryu flinched from the heat of Blaze's Fire Magic, giving Blaze a chance to turn the tables on him as he pinned down Ryu. "Now I've gotcha!"

"No, I've got you!" Ryu grinned as he breathed out some cold misty air at Blaze, which caused him to stagger briefly. He then ignited fire in his palms as Ryu flooded his body with ice magic, with the brothers charging at each-

"That's enough," Emily cut in, snapping her fingers as both were sent back to their seats and their magic disabled by Emily's Aura. Blaze crossed his arms and grunted.

"Using your Aura, that's unfair, mother." He said as he returned to eating his food. Emily sighed, as she waved a hand over the food prepared, changing them to their non-spicy variants for herself, Shinra, and Ryu. The non-spice addicts then began to actually eat breakfast, as Ryu eventually looked up at Emily.

"Mom, when will I unlock my Aura?" He asked her, as the Queen wiped at her mouth before replying.

"When you and I visit Alestia when you're 13, you will undergo a ritual to unlock your Alestian Aura. As a half-breed, you need to manually unlock it by receiving the Treasure of the Alestians, the Alestian Amulet." She said, as she then stood up and flicked back her hair. "I have work to do, so I'll be in my room for most of the day."

"You mean our room, Lils," Shinra said, as Emily looked at her husband with an unamused expression.

"You know what I meant, Shinra. No need to elaborate." She said, as Shinra laughed and shrugged. Emily then sighed and walked over to both Blaze and Ryu, unlocking their magic again. "Remember, no fighting aside of spars. As for you, Ryu, I think you have somewhere to be."

His eyes widened at that, recognizing his mother's words to be true. He had a meeting with his Aunt Rin to attend to, more training! He shot up to his feet instantly. "Thanks for reminding me, Queen Mom!" He said, to his mother's amusement. He kissed his mother and father on their cheeks and gave Blaze a tight hug before running off to reunite with his aunt, the retired knight, and a Princess of the family bloodline (though she didn't care for that last bit).

* * *

Ryu dodged a flurry of whitish-blue strings as his Aunt Rin trained him. She was a few dozen meters away from him and was casually moving her hands around, where strings were emitted. Despite her uninterested look, Rin was giving her nephew a hard time dodging. That was where her experience as a fighter shone brightest, as she was not only stronger than Ryu despite him having Determination infused into his soul, but she was also much more experienced and knew what she was doing. She made a heavy pull to the right, as a string grabbed Ryu's leg and tugged him in her direction, where she proceeded to punch him right into the floor; cracking it heavily beneath her feet and causing an explosion. "...We really need to work on your reaction times." She said in a neutral tone of voice, as Ryu slowly got to his feet, determination shining in his eyes.

"Don't count me out yet, Aunt Rin! I can do this!" He said, as the elder knight/Mage sighed and motioned for him to come at her. She knew Ryu was a prodigy when it came to battle, as he always got stronger when he was damaged or put down, though the strength boost was only temporary. She shot her strings at the boy again, as he spun around and summoned a blue Cutlass of Integrity into his hand, slicing at the strings as he narrowly evaded her strings. Ryu winced or hissed when a string got past his defenses and grazed him, but otherwise, he kept pushing. Rin was forced to side-step once he got too close to her, wrapping one of her strings around Ryu's waist and flinging him into the air. She then casually brought down the strings, slamming Ryu back into the floor, leaving a large crater. "Ow! Don't you know how to hold back? I'm only 12!" Ryu hissed as he got up, with Rin crossing her arms over her chest, her cyan and white clothes blowing in the wind, along with her white hair.

"Do you really think your enemies will hold back against you, _Chīsairyu_ (Little Dragon)?" Rin said as she raised a delicate eyebrow. "You gotta learn to be strong young, kiddo! You're the son of Shinra Shock and Emily Henderson, the strongest couple in the Kingdom! Heck, your brother managed to tame the flames of the old mad God, Mirakn!"

"I know…"

"Plus, you're the Soul of Peace! The heir of the Founder! The Chosen One prophesied by the First Queen, Ami Frost!" Rin continued, unnoticing of Ryu's fragile mental state.

" **I KNOW, ALRIGHT?"** Ryu snapped, as Rin looked up at him in surprise, with Ryu getting up with a furious expression on his face. "I know about all the expectations everyone has for me! I'm trying my best, okay? I want to be just as amazing as Granny Ami said I would be, but I'm still a kid! Don't just force these ideas onto me!"

"Ryu…" Rin's eyes widened as she realized her mistake, on how much stress she might have put upon her beloved nephew. When Ryu summoned his true weapon, a red and yellow colored staff with a golden spearpoint-like diamond at the end of it. The Staff of Peace, she moved out of the way of his attack with ease, wrapped her hands in Patience strings, and grabbed the Staff. She then turned the blunt end to Ryu and smacked it into his stomach, as Ryu fell to his knees, coughing from the impact. "Why didn't you just tell me? Tell us?"

"...I didn't want you to think I was weak or anything…" Ryu admitted after a moment, looking to the side. Rin sighed, as she dropped Ryu's staff, which dispersed on impact with the floor. She then stuck out her hand for Ryu to take, as he hesitantly did so.

"Y'know what Ryu? We're on break for the rest of the day. Come with me." Rin said as she led the boy away with her, into the main part of the kingdom. "...Tell me, what's your favorite ice cream flavor?"

"My favorite? Uh, Neapolitan, I suppose?" He replied as Rin hummed. "Why'd you ask?"

"No reason, I suppose." Rin smiled teasingly, as she led him along. The people of the kingdom greeted the older Princess and Ryu, as they both waved around. "Don't you see Ryu, none of the people have any expectations for you. They're just happy to see you."

"I… I suppose… but what does this have to do with anything?" Ryu asked her. "When I grow up, they'll obviously start measuring me up to Granny…"

"I wouldn't think so… everyone here admires you, Ryu… but they don't want to pressure you to become someone you aren't," Rin said, as Ryu looked up at her in shock. "Not me, not your brother, not your parents… and definitely not the people of the Lost Isles. We all just want to see you become the best you that you can be. You have infinite potential, and all we want is for you to reach it. The Prophecy that Granny Ami made didn't say you were supposed to be the best King or Soldier or any of that." Rin stopped walking and looked at Ryu, kneeling in front of him with a loving smile on her face. "You can become whatever you _want_ to be. As long as you give it your all, and you're happy… then we're happy." Ryu was unable to stop crying as Rin hugged him, as he felt like a large weight was just pulled off of his shoulders. The former knight hushed him softly as she patiently waited for him to let out all his emotions, hugging him tighter before gently kissing his forehead. "I know you can do anything, Ryu. You'll do amazing at whatever you choose to do with your life." Once they released the hug, Ryu was wiping his tears away on his sleeve, sniffling as he laughed slightly.

"T-thank you, Auntie…" He said as Rin stared at him in surprise as she didn't hear him call her that since he was five years old. She then smiled back, as she felt her heart warmed.

"Of course, _Chīsairyu_. Anytime," She whispered to him, as she then walked off with him. They walked in silence, as Ryu genuinely smiled for the first time in… well, years. He felt like he didn't have to work to please anyone else but himself. Rin noticed as she smiled as well, as Ryu's joy was contagious. "...Hey, Ryu… tell me, is there a girl you like?" Rin randomly asked as Ryu's eyes widened. A headache assaulted him before he looked to the side, where he saw a vaguely familiar figure. The girl had blue hair and blue eyes, wearing a traditional maid's uniform. He blankly stared at her, wondering who she was.

" _My hero is the best in the world!"_ The voice said to him. " _When no one else in the world believes in you, when you don't even believe yourself… I will believe! I will believe that the Ryu that saved me… is a True Hero."_

Visions flooded Ryu's mind, _no_ , memories. Tears almost formed in his eyes, before he shook them off and smiled at Rin, who seemed somewhat concerned. "I'm fine, Auntie. As to answer your question… yeah, there is a girl I like. But I don't think you'll ever meet her."

"Oh, well that's certainly a disappointment! Well, as long as she treats you right, I don't care if I meet her or not!" Rin laughed, causing Ryu to follow her in laughter moments later.

When they eventually calmed down, Ryu smiled up at Rin, a more resolute look in his eyes. "Auntie, I want to try again. I want to try fighting you again." He said as Rin stared at him in confusion before nodding.

Ryu eventually made his way back to the fields, where Rin took her normal position and summoned up her strings. Ryu took a deep breath, steeling his nerves as he shot right at her without a plan… originally, at least. Rin then struck out with her strings, which hit him rapidly like whips, stinging as he only felt more and more pain… until the pain suddenly didn't register. Instead of feeling the stinging of her magic strings, he felt like he was being tickled. But that didn't stop the force from knocking him off. "You're going to get nowhere like that, _Chīsairyu_!" She called out, as Ryu only grinned in response. He charged at her again, as she raised an eyebrow at the stupid strategy. She struck out again, but this time she noticed how Ryu was easily outspeeding her strings, dodging them as his body gave off a faint pale violet glow. Her eyes widened. That shouldn't be possible-

The next moment, she felt pain as an ice-cold fist impacted into her stomach with surprising force. Ryu eventually opened his eyes, which were pale violet for a moment, but faded quickly. His eyes were filled with shock, regret, and guilt as he thought he had just hurt his aunt… and when she reached over, he winced, flinching back in fear… only to feel a hand gently stroking his hair in a loving manner. He looked up at Rin, who's eyes were filled with pride and love. "Look at you, finding your own unorthodox way to bypass my attacks. Well, I was holding back that time, but still... This is something that should be celebrated, an achievement for my sweet little nephew."

"Huh?" He looked up at her, as she snapped her fingers, revealing she had two strings behind her that were holding Neapolitan ice cream cones. "Is that…?"

"Congratulations, Ryu. Your patience paid off." Rin softly said, as a string handed him one of the cones. She smiled at him, as Ryu felt a pang of pain enter his heart from the loving expression. "Just use that patience, your determination… everything, to lead a good life. I know whatever you do in the future, you'll do it well. And whoever that girl is that you like… well, she's a lucky cookie!" Ryu's eyes filled up with tears at her words, as he instinctively knew that he would be unable to show his Aunt his 'greatness' in the future. "Huh? What's with that expression?"

"I'm so sorry! I'm sorry that I can't be great King and lead the Lost Isles like everyone wants me to!" Ryu cried as Rin's cyan eyes softened. "I'll never be able to see you or any of the others in the future! I'm sorry for being a failure! For being a weakling! I'll never be able to make it up to you all!" He only wept more as Rin drew him into a hug, a calm expression on her face.

"Ryu, you don't need to apologize to me. Just be the best you that you can be. That's all I want from you. Live your life to the fullest, and I'll be happy." Rin whispered into the crying boy's ears. "I'll always love you, _oi_."

* * *

"Are you sure you want to stop here?" Rin asked Ryu after he had eventually calmed down, with the boy nodding.

"Yeah, I'll just be heading home now, Auntie." Ryu smiled weakly. "You've taught me more than enough already." He said, with Rin nodding and watching as Ryu walked off with a smile on her face. She had a feeling that that boy… would be just fine in the future.

Ryu made his way back home, waving to the people of Rustcottmo as he went and helping people with their problems wherever he could. Once he reached the castle gates, the soldiers in the front bowed. "Welcome back, Ryu-sama!" They greeted him, as they opened the gates.

"Thanks, Jackie, Sage." He thanked the guards to their surprise as he walked into the castle, encountering his father, who stared right at him with an expectant look in his green eyes. "Uh… dad?"

"Son, come walk with me." Shinra requested as he walked off, with Ryu following him to the castle gardens. Magic flowers and plants of all kinds bloomed around them, filling the room with a pleasant scent. As Ryu was about to say something, the man spoke up. "I heard how you felt about the prophecy business." He said, to Ryu's surprise.

"How did you-"

"You called me 'Almighty Pops' when you were younger. You had no idea how close you were to the truth. I'm not just the strongest Mage in the Kingdom and the Greatest King in the history of the Lost Isles for show, ya know. My magic's unique, as it lets me do a lot of things. One of which being seeing the future, and being all-hearing when I wish to be." Shinra explained, as he sat down on a bench and patting the empty seat next to him. Ryu sat next to his father, as the man brought him closer. "As for the Prophecy business… forget about it."

"Huh?" Ryu looked at Shinra in surprise, as the King had a genuinely regretful expression on his face.

"It was my stupidity that brought you so much pain," He explained. "If I just paid more attention, I could have avoided this. But I didn't, and now I know too late of the pressure I have unknowingly put on you. I should have never told you about that stupid Prophecy. I'm a terrible-"

"That's not true," Ryu cut in, as Shinra looked at him in surprise. "I know that your foresight is limited, that you can only see things on rare occasions. And I also know that your all-hearing ability is straining on you, to hear _everything_ going on the Lost Isles. Even if you did manage to learn about how I felt through your powers, I probably would have felt worse since I would have forced my dad to hurt himself to save me." He looked at his father with kindness in his eyes. "I don't need an apology, dad. You're doing the best you can. You're overworked, I know that. You're always trying to be the best king, as well as be the best dad you can be. But you don't have to overwork yourself for my sake, and I'm sure Blaze feels the same way. Besides… I don't blame you for any of this. You wouldn't have known about this on that day when you told me." He then looked down at his hands, which were somewhat damaged from his training with Rin. "I still love you, because I know you never wanted to hurt me on purpose." He said, as Shinra's eyes filled with tears. Father and son shared a hug moments later, as Shinra cried over his son's forgiveness and love.

Later, after Shinra had calmed down, he wiped his tears away with a handkerchief. "Man… I never would have thought… I would have such an understanding and loving son." He sighed, as he looked at his son's hands and took them into his own, flowing healing Magic into them as they were flawlessly healed by the Supreme Healer and strongest Kindness Mage. "Ryu… I have a piece of advice for you… in the future," Shinra said, as Ryu looked directly into his father's green eyes. "Never doubt yourself kiddo." He said as Ryu's eyes widened. "That's not how a Shock thinks. We are eternal, determined, and always pushing further. Pushing beyond the limits of humanity, where our souls and the impact of our lives had on the universe lasting for millennia. You are my son, my greatest treasure. I am proud of you. Go forward, never stop pushing yourself and **Stay Determined**."

"...I will, dad," Ryu said, as Shinra nodded. The young man stood and hugged his father one final time, before walking off to talk to his mother.

* * *

Ryu walked around, on a search for his mother as his eyes looked around. "Where is she… I haven't seen her anywhere, and she's not in her room like she said she'd be either…" He muttered, growing worried. But then…

"Were you looking for me?" A voice said from behind him, as he turned to see his mother smiling at him softly. "Sorry to sneak up on you, but I couldn't resist the chance to surprise my son!"

"That's so like you…" Ryu sighed, as his mother smiled, before a genuinely surprised look settled on her face.

"Wait a second, I don't remember your soul being this strong… or you having Aura…" She muttered as Ryu smiled weakly.

"I had a few nice talks, y'know? I feel a lot better now." He replied as Emily blinked before a more amused smile appeared on her face. As if she _knew_ of his situation. "Uh, mom? What's-"

"How's life in Lugunica, son?" Emily asked as Ryu's eyes widened. His mother winked at him, her visible eye glowing faintly. "You're probably wondering how I know about that. Call it a mother's intuition." Ryu noticed her eye flash a dull blue.

"You're lying." He said as she sighed.

"Yeah…. I am. Safe to say, I'm pretty sure you're at least semi-aware that this place isn't real." Emily said, as she snapped her fingers, teleporting both him and Ryu to the top of the castle, as she looked over the kingdom from above. Ryu looked out with her, as she took her son's hand into her own. "Ryu… I'm partially real. I am a soul fragment of your real mother, placed here in the Sanctuary at my request… that when you went to come here and go through the Trial… that you would have someone to answer your most burning, immediate questions. So… go ahead, ask me anything."

"...Why? Why did you lie to me?" He asked as Emily went silent, her hair blowing behind her in the wind.

"I didn't mean to hurt you so much with what I did. Your father and I… we only wanted the best for you. I did genuinely want to take you with me to Alestia, but a few weeks before your birthday, your father received a vision of the future. One where you were in another world, smiling and laughing and living your best life." Emily looked up at the sky, smiling slightly. "It hurt me so much to know that the only way to reach that future, was to hurt _you_ immediately. I had to break a promise, to ensure you reached a future that you would genuinely love. Where you were surrounded by people who did love you. So your father and I set up an operation. I was meant to be caught. I knew Blaze was to kill me, so I purposefully weakened myself so I could die." She then looked at Ryu, whose eyes were filled with tears. "Tell me, Ryu, are you happy in Lugunica?"

"More or less.. I've lost someone important to me though…" Ryu admitted.

"Rem, right?" Ryu looked up at his mother in surprise, as she smiled sadly. "The Trial pulls from the memories of those who have gone through them, including you, to create scenarios. I know about Rem and everything you've gone through, just as the Trial knows the truth about everything I originally planned. I can say this for a fact, though. You will get Rem back, I just know it. There is nothing you can't do."

"Mom…" Ryu whispered as she turned to face him, pure, unfiltered love in her eyes.

"I love you, Ryuuto. My lazy, sleepy dragon has finally awoken." She said, as she wiped away his tears with her thumb, smiling. "I am so proud of you and how far you've come. Never sell yourself short, little Prince. You are easily the strongest person this world will ever encounter. Reach for the stars, and then go further. Okay?"

Ryu shakily smiled back at her and nodded. "O-okay! I will!" He said as Emily stood up, seemingly fading slowly.

"Well, my soul fragment is fading now. I'll still be here until the trial ends, but I won't be the me that talked to you right now. I'll be like your dad and brother, creations of the Sanctuary's Trial." She said as Ryu felt sorrow. "But I have one last piece of advice for you. Go talk to your brother. You have a lot of unresolved conflict with him, right? Why don't you go figure that out next, okay?" Emily finally faded away, as Ryu slowly nodded. He had a new task now, it seemed.

* * *

Ryu sat in the garden, waiting for Blaze to come over as he had sent a guard to invite him over here to talk. It had been a while since his talk with his mother, it was exactly two weeks before his birthday. He was quite nervous about this talk, as he hadn't spoken to his brother 'properly' in a… long time, to say the least. "Hey! You called for me?" Blaze called out, as Ryu looked up to see the young flame-haired teen. Blaze sat next to him, as he took a deep breath and exhaled, seemingly satisfied with life. "What did you want to talk about, hothead?"

"Hothead? You're the one with fire powers!" Ryu shot back, as Blaze laughed loudly.

"You've got a good point there, brat!" Blaze said before he calmed down. "But seriously, what did you want to talk about lil' bro?"

"...why?"

Blaze stared at Ryu confusedly. "I'm gonna need you to elaborate, lil' bro," Blaze asked, confusion visible in his eyes.

"Why don't you hate me?!" Ryu snapped, as Blaze's eyes widened. "I stole your powers! I stole your right to inherit the kingdom by being born! I forced you to go challenging a Dark God, where you nearly died, all so you could just get some extra power! But even now, you show no hate! It just makes no sense!" He looked up at his elder brother, tears in his eyes. "Why don't you hate me?"

"...I had no idea… is this how you felt? Did you think I was jealous of you or something?" Blaze asked, his tone cracking with emotion.

"Why else would you go challenge Mirakn?!" Ryu asked, tears finally rolling down his cheeks. "Just admit it, you hate-" Ryu was silenced as Blaze pulled him into a tight hug.

"I could never hate you, Ryu!" Blaze said as Ryu's eyes widened, detecting no lies in his brother's statement. "I never was jealous of you either! I was proud of how strong you were becoming! I never cared about ruling the kingdom, or some stupid lightning powers! I just wanted to protect you! That's why I challenged Mirakn for his powers! That's why I was so adamant about doing all of this! I just wanted to protect you, because I loved you! I thought _you_ hated me!"

Ryu's grip on his brother tightened as he laughed weakly, not wanting to let go of him for fear that he would disappear. "Guess we're both just idiots, huh, brother?"

"I'm just happy that you've finally opened up to me, lil' bro…" Blaze said as he stroked the back of Ryu's head, bringing a soothing feeling to him as he leaned into his elder brother's warmth. Eventually, they stood up as they gave each other one last hug. "As you know, I'll be going off with mom and dad on a business trip, so I won't be back for a while. But I would appreciate it if you came with me to say goodbye."

Ryu nodded at Blaze's words, taking his brother's hand and walking side-by-side with his beloved elder brother. They eventually reached their final destination, with Blaze letting go of Ryu's hand as he stopped in front of the cart. "I know we haven't talked in ages, and we're probably not going to know each other well besides our spars… but I would love it if we could talk more in the future. Be actual brothers." Blaze said as Ryu nodded.

Emily then walked over to Ryu, as he looked his mother in the eye. "Ryu… tell me, when's your birthday?"

Ryu rolled his eyes at that, an amused look on his face. "Mother, you should know your own son's birthday." Ryu quipped as Emily smiled softly.

"Humor me." She said in a soft tone, as Ryu sighed.

"Two weeks," Ryu replied, as the High Queen hummed and nodded.

"Right, well… looks like we'll be going on a new trip in two weeks. Get ready." She put her pinky finger out, as Ryu confusedly stared at it before a wide grin appeared on his face, cheering loudly, only to shut up as Blaze casually slapped the back of his head with a heat-magic enhanced palm. "Remember to keep up your studies and don't bother your Aunt Rin!" Emily called out, but before they could leave, Blaze turned to Ryu with a smile on his face.

"Hey, brother… take care of yourself while we're gone, okay?" Blaze requested as Ryu nodded. "I love you, Ryu." Ryu's eyes widened at the truth behind those words, as his eyes filled up with tears for the umpteenth time that day. A truth hit him, one that hurt even more than the idea of his brother hating him.

_His brother did love him, all this time. It wasn't because of hate that he did the things he did, it was out of insanity. The Mad God's Flames were to blame. Mirakn was to blame. His brother… was innocent._

A tearful smile came to his face as he waved to the retreating forms of his family. "I will!" Ryu called out, ignoring the pain in his heart as he knew for real that his family did all love him. That he was genuinely cared for. "Thank you for everything!"

He just wished… that he could have been a better brother to Blaze in reality… maybe if he just… talked with him… maybe all of the bad things that happened to his family could have been avoided…

" _Ryu, I just want to talk with you, please! I didn't mean to say what I said back then!" Blaze pleaded as Ryu turned to Blaze with a cold expression on his face._

" _Why should I talk to a murderer?" He asked as Blaze flinched back. "That's what I thought." He reached for the door, about to leave as Blaze said something._

" _Ryu… please take care of yourself." Blaze requested as Ryu scoffed and left. Blaze didn't know, but that was the last time he would see his brother for a long time… where the absence of his little brother, coupled with the power of the Black Flames of Mirakn, drove him insane._

Guilt pricked at Ryu's heart, as he wished he could make things up with Blaze. But now in his heart… he knew the only thing he could do now was live. Live in his family's memory, and remember their love. Now… now he just needed to find his way back. "Ryu, c'mon, we should get started on your studies," Rin said as she walked over to him, with Ryu nodding in his Aunt's direction as he made his way to Magic School. As he entered the classroom of the last trait he needed to master at the time, he noticed how empty it was… aside from one lone woman standing near a window.

Echidna turned to him with a faint smile, as Ryu recognized her instantly. He also remembered that she was a Patience soul, so this was extremely fitting. "You arrived just on time. Welcome, Ryu-kun." The Witch of Greed greeted him, wearing her typical dress, but it wasn't as long. Probably due to 'school' restrictions, as all the Classes required the students to be able to freely move and that meant to extremely long dresses and the like. Safety measures. She stood up straight as she walked up to him. "So, you've had some time to confront the past and your deep-seated regrets. How did it treat you?"

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 4, Chapter 1 - Birth of Greed (** _ _**強欲の誕生** _ _**) - END** _


	11. DETERMINED To SAVE You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryu continues his Trial of the Past and soon finds himself on a new quest.

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 4, Chapter 2 - DETERMINED To SAVE You (** _ _**あなたを救うために決定** _ _**) [Part 1]** _

* * *

Ryu blankly stared at Echidna as he walked over to the Witch, gaining a confused look from her as he now stood a few inches away from her. "E-eh, Ryu-kun, what are you-"

"Dona, I must thank you for letting me face my past, but that was simply one facet of it," Ryu said, as his eyes narrowed. "I know you can stop time with your Patience magic. You've learned a lot about Soul Magic just from the books I used to give you, didn't you?"

"I-I can, but what's the purpose of that?" Echidna asked, genuinely curious as she stared at the form of her former best friend, who turned away.

"Stopping time will ensure people can't interfere and wake me up from the trial, and I know you can easily do it, your soul hasn't passed on," Ryu replied, as Echidna sighed. She snapped her fingers, as she then looked outside of the classroom.

"I've done what you asked me, Ryu-kun. Now, what will you do?" Echidna asked as Ryu went for the door to leave the classroom.

"...You know what I must do. I must face my past… as Flugel Aicenfall. It might just be a fraction, but I need this." Ryu then left the room, as he blacked out a moment later.

* * *

Flugel woke up to the sounds of someone knocking on his door. He got up slowly, as he then looked over to the side to see his mother smiling down at him. "Wake up, Ry- I mean, Flugel. We've got a lot of stuff to do today, plus I need to restock on ingredients for breakfast."

"Coming, ma," Flugel smiled at his mother, who nodded and left the room swiftly. Lilliana Aicenfall was a nice woman, and the only family he had after the abrupt deaths of both his brother and father. Flugel sighed as he got up and prepared himself for the day, putting on some clothes in an abrupt fashion, since he wasn't feeling like 'thinking' about what to wear today. Once he had deemed himself ready, he walked over to a mirror to stare at his reflection.

Flugel Aicenfall was a tall boy for his age, being 5'9 while only being 15 years old. His hair was a pale violet color and very messy, and his eyes were gold with blue specks in them. "I swear, it's almost like I need to reality warp my hair into being neater if I want to fix it…" Flugel grumbled, as he then sighed and walked out of his room. His mother was waiting for him at the door, which she opened once she saw him.

"Come now, son. We need to get going if we want to get to the market quickly," Lilliana urged him, as he nodded obediently and followed his mother out the door. He followed her around as she bought ingredients in the markets, talked with old friends, and constantly made sure she wasn't going over the budget she had made for herself today. Eventually, once Flugel was about to get bored, his mother shifted her gaze to him and smiled. "Ryu, sweetie, why don't you ever try to make friends?"

"No one here my age is interesting, ma," Flugel replied swiftly, almost as if he had heard this question multiple times already and had the answer prepared. Which was true. His mother was obsessed with his social life and making sure he wasn't a loner.

"Mmm, I think you're just avoiding people because of that pesky Corruption of yours," Lilliana said, as she brought out an appa and threw it at Flugel, who caught it instantly. "Though I will admit that Corruption in your soul _will_ be an issue, we should find a way to get rid of it."

"Fragmenting things isn't my forte, mother. I think _you_ should be the one to do it, being the more experienced Soul Mage," Flugel hummed as he took a bite out of the appa's rich flesh, enjoying the fruit's flavor. "After all, we can't destroy Corruption."

"True enough, I suppose." Lilliana hummed, as Flugel's attention was grabbed, seeing a silver-haired girl being teased and picked on by a pack of bullies. He wanted to act, but his mother's hand grabbed him and pulled him back. "...You can't do anything rash, son."

"Mom, they're hurting her!" Flugel snapped back at the lavender-haired woman, who had a strictly neutral expression on her face. "I need to do something!"

"We just moved into town, Ryu. We can't act rashly. Use your own patience to stay strong," Lilliana said, as Flugel grit his teeth in frustration, knowing if he did try to act; his mother would stop him instantly with her powers. He admired his mother's strength, he really did, but it was times like this that made him hate how much stronger she was than him. His mother, knowing her son would eventually do something rash regardless of her warnings, dragged him away with Flugel's eyes gaining a faint red sheen to them. He would save this girl from these bullies one way or another. As for the Aicenfall Matriarch? Her eyes softened, as she looked back at the bullied girl. "Sorry, young one. It's merely not time."

* * *

The next time Lilliana took Flugel to the market, the boy used his Patience magic to attach one of his strings to a wall and jet off, to the Aicenfall Matriarch's apparent frustration. Once the boy was out of sight, however, she sighed. "Just as long as you don't get yourself caught, son…" She muttered, hoping the timeline of events didn't change _too_ much from what Shinra had originally foreseen.

As for Flugel, he was jumping from building to building, eventually stopping as he crouched; watching the bullies from earlier continue to pick on the mystery girl. "Look at those ears!"

"So weird and pointy!"

"Man, I've heard of mistakes but this just takes the cake!"

Flugel's eyes narrowed as he summoned a flurry of icy spears behind him, the temperature in the surrounding area dropping rapidly, and it was noticeable as the bullies began to shiver. Flugel then drew his arms back, with the spears following his motion, and then threw the spears forward at the bullies; piercing their clothing and pinning them to a wall. When Ryu saw the mystery girl was about to look his way, he used a quick **Time Stop** via Patience and ran back to his mother's location, releasing the magic quickly afterward.

As for the half-elf girl from before? She looked around in confusion, wondering who her savior was.

* * *

"Alright, son, step into the Magic Circle," Lilliana said to Flugel once she had finished preparing for what she called the 'Purification Ritual'. Flugel took a deep breath and sighed, taking a step into the middle of the circle and kneeling. Magic threads grabbed at Flugel's body, restraining him and keeping him in place before a different thread appeared and stabbed right into his body. Lilliana watched silently, taking no pleasure in the sight of her son screaming in pain. Just as Flugel's soul shattered, technically killing him, more threads leaked out of the Magic Circle and grabbed at the dark purple substance attached to Flugel's red and gold soul. It forcibly tore it off, as Flugel's eyes then opened, his soul reforming and healing itself through the Magic of the Circle.

As for the Corruption? It was now split into 9 different pieces, each with a title on it.

Envy.

Greed.

Gluttony.

Sloth.

Lust.

Pride.

Wrath.

But before Flugel or Lilliana could get a better look at the final two, they noticed how each one seemingly shot off into the air. Flugel, despite being weak after what happened to his soul, instantly reached out and stopped a few from escaping. Namely Sloth, Envy, and Wrath. Lilliana bit her lip. "This is bad, I created more Fragments than I anticipated. What if-"

"Mother, calm down. I'm sure things will be fine," Flugel said as he stood up, holding the 3 Fragments of Corruption using strings of Patience. "We just need to find and contain the rest of these Fragments. Simple as that."

"Right… right…" Lilliana sighed, realizing that if her son was able to stay calm in a situation like this, then she could as well. "...We'll need to give you some downtime if we're going to be chasing down these Fragments, wherever they went." She then smiled down at her son. "How about this, we go get some red velvet cake, hm?" At her son's weak nod, she helped the boy up and led him back to his room, where he quickly fell asleep due to the exhaustion of dying and coming back to life. She gently stroked Flugel's hair, as her mind went to figure out where things went wrong. There were now 9 Corruption Fragments out in the world when originally Lilliana only wished to create 7. 7 to represent the Seven Deadly Sins. "...I suppose it's time to introduce you to her, hm? You wanted to meet her after all."

* * *

Months had passed. Flugel had made a friend in that time, that being the half-elf girl he had saved back then, who's name was Satella. They got along exceptionally, hitting it off from the moment Lilliana introduced them to each other. The Aicenfall Matriarch smiled at the duo whilst they chatted and had fun, knowing exactly what was up. Both unknowingly had feelings for the other, and she found it quite adorable. She eventually finished up her little project, having tracked down the general location of the Corruption Fragments and marking them down on a map. "Flugel!" She called out to her son, grabbing his attention as he walked over, Satella attached to him as she typically was. Poor girl was basically friendless.

"What is it, ma?" Flugel asked, as Lilliana rolled up the map in her hands and handed it over to her son. He stared right at it, before grinning slightly. "So, this is it, huh?"

"Yes. That paper should hold the locations of the other Corruption Fragments… which I'm now thinking of dubbing something else." Lilliana's expression shifted to one of deep thought for a few moments, before she shrugged it off. "Just get going, find the Fragments, and bring them back here. If they were found by others, take it back by force. We cannot let Corruption gain hold in the souls of those with weaker souls."

"Of course, ma. Gotta save the people from evil," Flugel nodded, before shifting his gaze to Satella. "I'll be gone for a while, but I promise I'll come back as soon as I can, 'Tella. In the meantime, I'm sure mom will take care of you."

"You've never broken one of your promises, so I have no reason to doubt that," Satella smiled at him, before giving him a tight hug to Flugel's slight embarrassment. "Come back to me safely, Ryu."

Flugel smiled at the usage of what Satella thought was simply his nickname, but in reality, was his old name back home. He reciprocated the hug immediately. "I will, 'Tella. I will." And with that, Flugel waved to his oldest friend and his mother, before disappearing as he used Integrity Platforms to rush off into the distance.

* * *

Flugel stared up unamusedly at the floating island above him, and then at his Mother's Map. "...Are you fucking kidding me?" He grumbled as he realized he would actually have to _try_ to get up to that island. Especially when he heard some… rumors of a Witch living up there. He tensed up his legs, forming an Integrity Platform beneath his feet and shooting into the air, using a Patience thread to attach himself to the island and pulling to slam himself right into the floor; forming a dust cloud as he coughed.

"What are you doing?" He heard a female's voice call out, as Flugel looked up to see a young woman with white hair wearing a long black dress and black eyes staring at him in a mixture of fear, shock, and anger. "You can't just waltz here unannounced!" Flugel stared back into her eyes, causing her to step back in slight fear from the focused look in his gold-blue eyes. He then sighed, recognizing that the Authority of Greed had already settled into her soul.

"Ma'am, I'd like to talk to you. It's quite urgent." Flugel requested politely, as the woman eventually nodded and led him into her castle-like house. After serving them both some tea, Echidna sat down and looked the young man in the eyes.

"What did you want to talk about?" Echidna asked him, as Flugel put down his teacup and sighed.

"This tea is quite delicious," Flugel said in an attempt to try and build some sort of relationship or trust between them via conversation. Echidna immediately waved him off by saying it was her own blend and then demanded what he was here for. Flugel sighed. "Man, I try to be polite and this is what I get, hm? Alright, I'll get to the point. I know you've absorbed a large amount of Magic recently, from a purple energy fragment." Echidna's eyes widened, as Flugel took that as confirmation he was absolutely fine in his timing. "Hand over the Authority of Greed, and no one gets hurt."

"N-no!" Echidna denied him, soon growing afraid of the angry look that was on the man's face, but not showing it due to her will and resolve to use this power she had received for good. "I need this power!"

"Oh?" Flugel stood up, seeing Echidna as a threat as he summoned a large ice spear into his hand. "I suppose the rumors of there being a Witch up on this island are true. You're evil."

"No! I'm not!" Echidna denied again, as Flugel's eyes widened, detecting no lies in her statement. After a moment's hesitation, he sat down, dispelled the spear, and calmly asked her to explain herself. "I want to use this power to help people! I know its a dark power, I could sense it the moment it arrived here. But I know I can control it! I want to try to make the world a better place and give refuge to those who seek it!"

"Witch…" Flugel began, as Echidna winced back in fear, thinking she was about to be killed. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"E-Echidna…" The girl looked up at the young man in front of her, who stood up and sighed, turning to leave. "W-wait, where are you going? Weren't you here for-"

"The Authority of Greed has been located and its user as well," Flugel responded, as Echidna's eyes widened. "Her name is Echidna, and she is the Witch of Greed. As you are a Witch, I should most definitely be keeping an eye on you. I'll return every week to ensure your intentions haven't changed, Echidna." He turned to face her, the slightest of smiles on his face. "Using darkness for good, to shelter others within your shade. An idea I wished I could have come up with."

"You mean-"

"You want to learn, to help people? You're hungry for knowledge and power, right?" Flugel snapped his fingers, as a portal formed above Echidna, with a book dropping into her lap. "This will be the start of your journey, Echidna. I will watch your career with great interest."

With that, Flugel left Echidna's flying island. Echidna herself stared at the book in her lap, picking it up as she stared at the cover. "The Magic and History of the Lost Isles…?" She read, as she opened the book, her eyes widening as a new chapter of her life opened up in front of her. Echidna realized she had just made a friend who was willing to support her despite her being a Witch… and it brought a smile to her face.

* * *

Ryu's eyes eventually opened, as he found himself back in the room from before, with Echidna staring at him with a small frown on her face, sitting down on the teacher's desk. "...You didn't tell me that there were originally _nine_ Authorities… nor the fact your mother was the one to make them."

"I didn't see a reason to tell you, I suppose. Why'd you pull me out of the past?" He asked, as Echidna eventually smiled in a mischievous and teasing way.

"Sheer boredom, of course, Ryu-kun," She replied as she got off the desk and walked over to him. "Your memories as Flugel are to return on their own, so why should I waste my time and energy to make sure you get to re-experience things you'll get back anyway?"

"You can be very annoying sometimes, y'know Dona?" Ryu sighed, as Echidna giggled.

"That's what I hope to be, its amusing to see you like this." Echidna then straightened up. "So, what did you learn?"

"Enough," Was Ryu's quick answer as Echidna sighed in disappointment.

"You can be so rude, Ryu-kun! You might be Flugel's origin, but you're far more rash than he ever was!" Echidna complained as she eventually pouted, causing Ryu to grin widely.

"Exactly, Dona. I'm his origin, he was just a watered-down version of me. Heck, he didn't even have Determination!" Ryu boasted, before calming down and walking around Echidna, as if measuring her before shaking his head. "While I've got to admit, time has treated you well-"

"Oh, why thank you." Echidna took the compliment from her old former friend graciously, unknowing of where Ryu was actually going with this.

"But you're still ridiculously out of shape. I bet you use your Patience magic to do all the heavy lifting for you." Ryu said, his tone and the look in his eyes accusatory, as Echidna took a step back and giggled nervously. "We're going to be working on that in the future."

"W-wait a second, back up!" Echidna begged once what was said finally registered in her mind. "What do you mean 'in the future'? I'm dead!" Ryu immediately fell into a bout of loud laughter at that.

"You most definitely are dead! But not for long." Ryu calmed down as he smiled kindly at Echidna. "Even though I currently am questioning your loyalty, as well as the weight of your promise, since you've become somewhat amoral… you're still one of my oldest friends in this world. No, in general. Aside from my family, it was you guys that were always there for me. The Witches of Sin were basically my extended family. I'm going to revive you all."

At that, Echidna faintly blushed and put a hand on her cheek in an embarrassed fashion. "You can't just say things like that, Ryu-kun. You could give a girl the wrong idea." Echidna swiftly turned to him, her blush faded as if it was never there (which in Ryu's mind was quite the high possibility due to the current amoral and almost soulless attitude of Echidna). "But you do know the world won't react kindly to someone reviving the Witches of Sin."

"I know. That's why I'm on a quest to recollect the Authorities. I can handle Corruption now. Gotta atone one way or another." Ryu replied, as Echidna hummed.

"Well then, I look forward to my resurrection. Perhaps I will delay my own plans to work with you, Ryu-kun. We are quite the deadly duo, wouldn't you say?" Echidna smirked, as did Ryu. He knew what she meant. A long time ago, he worked with Echidna to make artificial life, performing experiments that he now saw as eerily similar to the Amalgamate Experiments. With the Witch of Greed's help, he made the Artificial Lifeform known as 'Shaula'.

"I do agree on that end, Dona," Ryu replied, a faint gleam in his eyes. "So, what next?"

"What next, hm?" Echidna walked past him and returned to sitting down at the teacher's desk. "Well, this trial is officially over. I do look forward to your answer for the next question, assuming you accept the chance to take it."

"So, there was more than one trial." Ryu's eyes narrowed, as Echidna smirked his way.

"Of course. You should know personally, Ryu-kun. Nothing in life is easy." Echidna said in a semi-teasing tone. "There are three Trials in total. To set the Sanctuary free, you must pass all of them."

"...This isn't the same Sanctuary I saved long ago, Dona. This isn't the same you that I grew affectionate for." Ryu replied, as Echidna paused.

"...Ryu, things change over time. Change is natural." Echidna said, as she motioned for Ryu to take a seat next to her, which he did eventually. "I remember the time you saved me and the Sanctuary from Hector. I still feel like I owe you for that, like a debt I will never be able to repay. But to suggest I would have stayed the same Echidna after everything that happened is… just unrealistic. You should know that more than anyone."

"So what, the moment I died, you just decide to break your promise to me? You swore to use Greed for good, to save people!" Ryu retorted as Echidna silenced her old former friend with a hug.

"Ryu, it's not that I didn't care about the promise. I just lost faith. You were the anchor for a lot of us, you know? All the others missed you." Echidna eventually released him and smiled genuinely. "Soon, I just know it, soon you'll revive us. And maybe then, I'll be able to work on gaining your trust."

"You promise?" Ryu eventually asked as Echidna nodded.

"I swear on that first book you gave me." His eyes widened as he remembered how much that book meant to her… and then he smiled, seeing that the Echidna he knew wasn't 'dead'. She was just suppressed behind centuries of apathy. The world around them began to slowly warp and fade, as Echidna got up. "Looks like everything's already starting to disappear. Ryu-kun, I do wonder where your choices will take you from here. Use your powers wisely, ne?"

Ryu went for the door, instinctively knowing that the moment he stepped outside of the classroom, he would awaken in the Tomb. "Hey, Echidna… thanks. For everything. For letting me see my family one last time."

"Like I said, Ryu-kun. I have a debt to you I can never repay. This is the least I could do for you." Echidna said as Ryu smiled.

"By the way, I nearly forgot. I know you'd like for me to face the next Trial, but that's not my style. I'll be leaving that to a friend of mine." Ryu casually said. "So you better treat them right, or I'll be mad."

"I'll keep that in mind." Echidna smiled, as Ryu left the room.

* * *

When Ryu woke up, he felt the warmth of the floor beneath him and slowly stood up, wiping dirt and dust off of his face with his jacket sleeve before his eyes widened, remembering what exactly happened to get him here. "Emi!" He turned to the sleeping girl, holding her in his arms as he reached out to touch her face. He noticed how she was in pain, almost as if she was crying, which only made him more worried as he attempted to awaken the poor girl.

Her eyes eventually snapped open, as she seemed delirious and half-asleep and muttering his name. "Ryu…?" She asked, as the boy nodded. "Oh, right… I was undergoing the Trial... and…" Her eyes widened in panic, as Ryu could sense a panic attack coming along, holding her close as her teeth chattered. "I-I'm… it wasn't me! It wasn't! I'm telling you, it wasn't me!"

"Emi, it's fine, the past can't hurt you!" Ryu pleaded, as the girl continued to scream and cry into his chest.

"No, stop it! Stop it! Don't look at me like that! Stop it! It wasn't me!" Emilia continued to beg, as Ryu hugged her close.

"It's okay, Emi… it'll be okay…" Ryu muttered, growing worried for his friend.

* * *

"She's finally calmed down and is resting now," Ram reported to Ryu, who sighed in slight relief. "The aroma hypnosis will prevent any nightmares."

"Thanks for the assist, Ram. It would have been problematic if Emi was constantly plagued with nightmares." But even still… it only worried him further, as he wondered if it was truly safe for Emilia to continue the trials in this state. Would it be better for him to take the Trials himself? He knew that he wanted to give Emilia a chance to prove herself, to gain more credibility for the throne… but if this was the cost… Could he really allow this? Could he really watch his friend suffer like this, go through memories that were clearly traumatic? Ryu was conflicted, because he had experienced similar through his… forcefully shared memories back in the Capital. He wished he had the answers to this, but right now he didn't.

"Don't mention it, though it was more for Emilia-sama's sake than yours," Ram replied, as Ryu sighed slightly and leaned back in his chair. It was then that Otto decided to speak up.

"Um, may I say something?" The merchant asked, as Ryu looked at him and nodded once, allowing his hired assistant to speak. "It might be possible to get everyone outside the barrier without doing the trial and freeing the Sanctuary."

"Huh? What're you talkin' about?" Garfiel cut in, a frown on the young man's face. "There's no way in hell!"

"Just hear me out!" Otto pleaded. "I know anyone of mixed blood who touches the barrier loses consciousness. I saw it with my own eyes. So!" Otto raised a finger, a confident smile on his face. "Why don't those of us who aren't affected by the barrier carry the others through it while they're unconscious?"

"An amusing idea, but one you're better off not trying." A female's voice cut in as someone entered the room. "I would rather not become an empty shell of a soul."

Ryu looked over to the side to see what seemed to be the same strange pink-haired girl from earlier, but now she was wearing a black cloak. Not just that, but her soul was different. Not too different, but enough for him to know that this was _not_ the same girl from before. While staring, he didn't notice Ram walking over as she placed a cup in front of him. The pink-haired maid then leaned in, whispering into his ear. "Make sure to avoid saying anything unnecessary." Ryu silently hummed in agreement, as Ram straightened up her posture again and stood up.

"Ram, get me some tea too," Garfiel requested with a faint grin, as Ram focused her attention on the blonde young man.

"It's coarse tea," Ram said in her typical bored tone.

"Don't you usually talk more humble-like?" Garfiel asked in a semi-amused tone, with Ram staring at him impassively.

"I just brewed some leaves I picked up," She explained. She then looked at Ryu. "Show your gratitude to me for making it by drinking every last drop…" She then noticed how the cup was empty, with Ryu seemingly haven drunk it while she was talking with Garfiel. "I see. Even without instructions, you know how good my tea is and didn't leave anything behind. Perhaps this was worth my time." Ram smiled slightly, as Ryu smirked in her direction.

"I heard you had brought in more people from outside, Young Gar." The pink-haired maybe-Elf girl commented. "What an interesting boy you've found."

"And you are…?" Otto decided to ask the question Ryu had but didn't feel like asking.

"I am Ryuzu Bilma," Bilma introduced herself. "It is my duty, you might say, to represent this community, though I am old and frail as you can see."

Old and frail? "Don't tell me this is one of those situations where your soul is older than your physical body…" Ryu groaned as Bilma smiled slightly from underneath her cloak.

"I see that you've encountered those like me. Yes, my actual age, my soul's age, is much older than my body." Bilma confirmed, as Ryu held his head in his hands and sighed deeply. _This was fine_. "I assume you are the one Ram calls 'Otuuyr', which makes you Young Ryu." Okay, that was a strange thing to say. Or maybe that was just him. Probably just him.

"So, Ryuzu-san, what makes you say my idea won't work?" Otto asked as he looked at the maybe-elf in confusion. "Something about souls?"

"Have you not heard?" Ryuzu took a seat at the table, as she stared right into Otto's eyes. "When one of mixed blood touches the barrier, it takes away their consciousness. More specifically, it repels their soul."

"Repels their soul…? Uh…" Ryu then decided to pick up where Otto was left confused.

"So, when a mixed-blood forces their way through the barrier, their soul is separated from their body and they are left as a soulless, empty husk, right?" Ryu wanted to be sure he was correct, as Ryuzu nodded. Ryu was left in his thoughts, as he knew he could technically survive without his soul for about a day due to his Determination, meaning he could leave without any risks (and that was in the case the Barrier read him as a mixed-blood). But then again, being soulless was a risk since he would slowly lose his emotions without his soul, eventually becoming a human Flowey 2.0, and he didn't want that happening. No more amoral, psychopathic, and soulless monsters, thank you very much.

"You're one to catch on quick, as expected of one whose title is the Soul Mage of Lugunica," Ryuzu commented. "But yes, that is the gist of it. When a body without a soul exits the barrier, it is, in other words, dead." Otto seemed disturbed by that statement. Just then, Garfiel screamed out in what seemed to be pain as he rubbed at his mouth.

"This tea's gross!" Garfiel complained loudly, as Ryu raised an eyebrow. Maybe it was because he had gotten used to questionable tastes or he just didn't care, but he didn't have a problem with Ram's tea. Ryu smiled slightly, taking the change of mood as a blessing as Garfiel's complaining had taken away the seriousness of the conversation.

But still… what was he going to do in this situation?

...He had to make a plan.

* * *

Ryu stood in the forests of the Sanctuary, making good use of Flugel's memories to find himself a place where he wouldn't be found. He had plenty of secret spots in the Sanctuary that he had only told Echidna about on a contract to never share since he liked having his peace and quiet in the past. Ryu raised his hand, as he performed _**Black Warp**_ many times in rapid succession, waiting for something.

It was then that he felt a shift in the atmosphere as if something unsettling and unnatural had found its way to his secret hiding spot. He turned around to lay his eyes on a young woman's face, a young woman wearing nothing but a singular piece of cloth, with platinum hair and blue eyes. "Pandora," Ryu greeted her, as the woman smiled.

"Hello, Flugel… or should I say, Ryutensei? Is there anything I can do for my oldest friend?" Pandora smiled serenely, as Ryu knew her smiles were, 99.9% of the time, coming from a place of slight malice. But this time, she seemed genuinely happy, and Ryu knew why. Flugel had met Pandora once before in the past, and she was a strange one, seeing them as the embodiment of her 'fate' since she got one of his… accidental Authorities. _Vanity_.

"I'm calling in that favor from 400 years ago, Dora," Ryu said, as Pandora's smile widened slightly. "I want to do something, but I can't do it on my own right now. My own Reality Warping is strong, but with yours in conjunction, I believe I can-"

"If you wish to revive that blue-haired nameless girl, I'm sorry to say that nothing can bring her back. If you wish to complete that goal of yours, you will have to persevere and chase down the ones who are all in possession of her name and memories. The Gluttony Trio." Pandora seemed somewhat amused. "Or, duo, I suppose. Since you killed Batenkaitos. But I am willing to help you with anything else. Just take your time, and eventually, call upon me when you have thought of a wish. I will hear your calls, so no need to use your Warp excessively."

"Thank you, Dora. I'll make sure to do so." Ryu bit his lip, as he internally scolded himself for getting too optimistic, for believing Pandora could bring Rem back to him.

"The only thanks I want from you, Ryu-kun, is your trust. I hope one day, you might trust me." Pandora bowed her head, and then in the next moment, she wasn't there anymore. Ryu sighed, feeling angry with himself. He had wasted his time, it seemed.

* * *

Later, Ryu sat silently in Emilia's room, leaning back on a chair he had manifested and created out of Hate. He looked to the side once he noticed Emilia shifting in her sleep, as the silver-haired girl slowly opened her eyes. "Ryu-kun…?" She sleepily asked as he smiled at her slightly.

"Good morning, Emi." He calmly greeted her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Ah… morning…" She responded to his greeting as she slowly shifted from mostly asleep to half-asleep. "Were you here all night?"

"More or less," Ryu shrugged. "Wouldn't have been able to sleep too well in my own room since Otto is a pretty loud sleeper anyway, so I decided to check in on you."

"I'm… sorry about yesterday. I probably burdened you a lot." Emilia said as Ryu's expression softened. "I lost my composure at the Graveyard…"

"Don't worry about that, Emi. I'm sure we can find a way through this together." Ryu said, before noticing Emilia's hand had reached out and grabbed his. "...Uh, Emi?"

Emilia blankly stared at him before an atomic blush settled on her cheeks as she panicked. "I-it's not like that!" She exclaimed, pulling her hand back quickly as Ryu was busy trying to process exactly what was going on.

"It's fine, Emi. I don't really care or mind too much." Ryu eventually said, as he gave the now embarrassed girl a smile, who was hiding her face behind her blanket. "I do wonder… are you ready for the Trial reattempt tonight?"

"...To...night?" Emilia softly whispered, as Ryu could detect emotions of fear in her soul. Whatever her Trial of the Past was, it clearly had scared Emilia quite a bit… and Ryu didn't like that too much.

' _I promise I'll find a way to help you, Emi…'_

* * *

It was now night, and Ryu anxiously stood outside of the Graveyard, praying that Emilia would pass her trial. He prayed that things wouldn't end so badly again. He tapped his feet impatiently, even if he didn't know it, hoping that when Emilia came back she would come back with good news and a smile. "C'mon, Ram, join us!" He heard Garfiel say as Ryu looked to the side slightly. The maid 'hmph'd slightly and turned away as Garfiel frowned a little. "The hell? You're no fun."

"Do you like Ram or something?" Ryu eventually asked, wanting to talk to _someone_ so his mind didn't focus on the tension 24/7. The demihuman boy turned to him and grinned slightly.

"Well, she's hot, ain't she?" Garfiel laughed, as a faint smile came to Ryu's face. "Nothin' unusual about a guy being attracted to a strong, capable girl." Being someone who had a crush on Ram in the past, he understood what he meant.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right on that end, Garfiel," Ryu replied, as he nodded in the boy's direction. "Tell me, you got any hopes and dreams for the future? Things you want to do when you leave this place?"

"Well, that came out of nowhere, didn't it?" Garfiel said, bringing a carefree grin to Ryu's face for a moment. He was naturally curious when it came to things like this. "What do I want to do when I'm outside, huh? A guy like you, who can probably come and go as he pleases, wouldn't understand how the old hag and I feel."

Ryu lost his grin instantly, as he sobered up and thought to his time back in the Underground. "...You're probably right. You've lived here all your life, so I wouldn't understand how you feel. But I have seen something like this before."

"Oh?" Garfiel grinned in his direction. "Ram's told me about how you had a little journey back in your homelands to break a barrier similar to this one."

"In the Underground, there was a Barrier keeping everyone locked down," Ryu explained, gaining the attention of all present. "It didn't discriminate, though. Unlike this barrier, the moment you walked through the Barrier keeping all in the Underground… you were trapped. If you were a human, a 'Monster', didn't matter. You existed? You're stuck."

"Then how'd'ya get out?" Garfiel asked, as Ryu momentarily went silent.

"7." Ryu said after a few seconds of tense silence, turning to face his mini-audience. "7 Human Souls were required to break the barrier. So, the King of Monsters eventually went on a quest to kill every human that fell into the Underground, killing six children in the process." He noticed the shocked, terrified, and even disgusted expressions of the people; which he could understand… but he never could blame Asgore, as he was forced into a bad situation, and Toriel left him when he needed them most; not even bothering to try and comfort him or change his mind. His Underground family wasn't perfect, he knew that. Both Asgore & Toriel were far from the ideal or perfect parents, but he loved them regardless. "As I am only half-human, I am able to absorb both human and monster souls. I was planning to absorb the human souls collected and break the barrier myself after learning of my ability, but… plans changed. The Barrier was broken, but so was my home." He turned back to the Graveyard, leaving everyone in silence as they were left to their thoughts.

It was then that Ryu heard some cries that sent ripples of dread into his soul, with the lights of the Graveyard dying out. Emilia made her way out of the Tomb, crying as Ryu felt horrible for putting his friend through that again. "No, no, not again…" Ryu rushed into the Graveyard to intercept her, as the girl immediately began to cry into his chest.

"I-I'm sorry!" She cried, as Ryu's resolve to figure out a way to help her was only strengthened. He held her close and hugged his friend, more determined to help Emilia than ever before. It didn't matter to him how the barrier around the Sanctuary broke, as long as it _did_ break. That was Ryu's new goal.

* * *

Ryu _really_ wanted to kill Roswaal right now. In various ways. In various painful ways. In various _very painful ways_. Why's that, you might ask? Oh, nothing much. Just the fact he had just admitted to being the reason a lot of bad things happened. Couple that with his Integrity magic of Truth/Lie detection, and his memories as Flugel, and well… his trust of Roswaal L. Mathers was nonexistent right now.

_It was this man's fault that Rem was now…_

Ryu's fist clenched tightly as he crushed a SAVE point in them, his eyes shadowed by his hair. "Is there something wrong, Ryu-kuuuun?" Roswaal asked with a faint smirk, as Ryu eventually looked up at him with Hate-covered eyes.

"Die." Ryu simply said as he summoned a massive thunderstorm above the Sanctuary, with a large bolt of Black Lightning impacting into the building and destroying it while killing all in it. Ryu's SAVE immediately brought him back to life in the past, as he still felt angry and needed to vent. Vent against the man who brought him all this pain.

" **Killing him willy-nilly isn't going to make you feel better Ryu. If you want to avenge Rem, do it by beating this man at his own game,"** He heard Ryushi say in his mind, the calm voice of his alternate self giving Ryu the strength he needed to calm down.

"Is there something wrong, Ryu-kuuuun?" Roswaal asked with a faint smirk, as Ryu sighed.

"I'm just processing all of this… betrayal. I'll be taking my leave, Roswaal." Ryu curtly said as he turned around and left. "And by the way, don't bother telling me to not tell Emilia. I'm not gonna do it anyways. She's got enough on her plate without the realization of your manipulations, asshole." Ryu then left the room, deleting his SAVE of that moment and closing the door violently as he went.

* * *

Ryu was finding it much easier to use **FILE 0** now he had a higher concentration of LV. In fact, he was now able to access the 'code' of the world. Sure, this world naturally didn't have a code, but from the moment his Determination touched the world, it adapted and became more like his own. Now, he wasn't perfect and wasn't able to edit the code, but he could edit his own. Plus, this basically meant he was nigh-omniscient as long as he kept an eye on the source code of the world.

It was then he encountered his first problem that increased his paranoia. There were extra, foreign presences at the mansion, namely Elsa's presence. The assassin that got him killed once. And her stats were higher than usual. Far higher. High enough to genuinely get a fear response from Ryu. Her stats were in the upper 80s and lower 90s, comparable to Frisk's stats at LV19. Not only that, he noticed something that made him even more worried. Her _name_.

' **Elsa Granhiert (Black Fire Empowered)'**. It read.

_Black Fire. Black Fire._

_**The black fire of Mirakn.** _

...Everyone was in danger. Frederica, Petra, BB, and Rem were all endangered and he needed to find a way to stop it. "Pandora!" He called out, as the presence of the Witch of Vanity immediately entered his senses, as she appeared before him with a smile.

"Is there something you needed, Ryu-kun?" She asked in a kind, serene tone of voice as Ryu looked up at her with a determined look in his eyes.

"I need you to help me get out of the Sanctuary." He said as Pandora nodded once. ' _I'm going to save you, everyone!'_

"Ryu is now at the mansion of Roswaal L. Mathers. He is at the front gates, ready to fight." Pandora said, as her Authority activated and sent the boy away to his destination. "...Good luck."

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 4, Chapter 2 - DETERMINED To SAVE You (** _ _**あなたを救うために決定** _ _**) [Part 1] - END** _


	12. DETERMINED To SAVE You (2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryu faces another aspect of his past, joins a Tea Party, and is given even more Determination by old friends he had long-missed.

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 4, Chapter 2 - DETERMINED To SAVE You (** _ _**あなたを救うために決定** _ _**) [Part 2]** _

* * *

_Last Time on: "RE: DETERMINED"!_

* * *

_...Everyone was in danger. Frederica, Petra, BB, and Rem were all endangered and he needed to find a way to stop it. "Pandora!" He called out, as the presence of the Witch of Vanity immediately entered his senses, as she appeared before him with a smile._

" _Is there something you needed, Ryu-kun?" She asked in a kind, serene tone of voice as Ryu looked up at her with a determined look in his eyes._

" _I need you to help me get out of the Sanctuary." He said as Pandora nodded once. 'I'm going to save you, everyone!'_

" _Ryu is now at the mansion of Roswaal L. Mathers. He is at the front gates, ready to fight." Pandora said, as her Authority activated and sent the boy away to his destination. "...Good luck."_

* * *

He silently made his way through the building, constantly on guard as he felt like something was off. Not just the fact that Elsa was alive and back, no. But it felt like the world was corrupting itself as if everything good in the world was being drained away over time. He eventually stopped and turned around to face Elsa Granhiert, as the assassin licked her lips in anticipation. "I knew you'd be here."

"And you're just on time, _Prince_ Ryutensei," Elsa smiled, malice and bloodlust visible in her eyes, which were darkened considerably from what he remembered them to be. "I've waited for oh-so-long to get a chance to get into your guts."

"Your chance is never coming to pass," Ryu said, his tone filled with anger and hatred as he raised a hand, using **Black Warp** to create a flurry of knives and spears which he threw at Elsa. The assassin dodged with expertise and swiped at him, with Ryu barely finding himself able to dodge. It was then that Elsa stopped, looked up at the ceiling, and smiled.

"Ah, no matter. It seems _his_ pet has finally arrived. A week earlier than anticipated, but I suppose when it comes to the Leviathan and hunting down the Shocks, the beast can speed up its pace considerably." At that, Ryu's eyes widened. The Levia-

Everything around Ryuuto exploded as a giant scaly dragon's foot appeared in front of him. The foot drew back as a singular eye stared down the hole it made, ancient and gold in color, but also animalistic and filled with primal rage. Primal rage that Ryu was now matching. "LEVIATHAN!" Ryu roared in rage, raising his hands as a flurry of Gaster Blasters formed behind him in his rage-filled state, allowing him to access his sealed magic as the blasters fired at the dragon. The energy wave was enough to disintegrate Elsa and half of the mansion, but the dragon known as the Brown Leviathan was unaffected by the attack once the smoke faded.

"Is that all?" The dragon rumbled in a voice that sent fear down Ryu's spine. That was his strongest attack, there was no way. "Clearly, I _over_ estimated your power from Blaze's claims." No, no, no, no, no! It should have been killed!

The Dragon raised his clawed-foot and in the next moment, Ryu knew nothing.

" _You are_ _ **weak**_ _."_

* * *

Ryu found himself able to breathe a moment later, as his eyes hot open and he coughed heavily. "Oh god… _that thing_ … is here?" Ryu's eyes were filled with fear, as he stared at the stone floor beneath him before he heard familiar whimpers. "Emi…" He crawled over to the girl and held her in his arms, touching her cheek to wake her up. Just as before, she looked at him in a mixture of surprise and fear. But this time, Ryu was prepared. Prepared to help his friend.

He helped Emilia out of the Graveyard, his hair covered by his eyes as his eyes gave off a dull glow. _How was it here, this didn't make sense. The world was destroyed. The entirety of my Multiverse was destroyed, so how was_ _ **it**_ _alive?_ Panicked thoughts similar to these flooded his mind as he had no idea what to do anymore.

If **it** was here, then the people at the mansion were screwed no matter what he did. There was no one on this damn planet that was strong enough to beat that thing! The only chance he could have was if he had powers superior to his father, and that was a risky situation! If he wanted to do this without risk he needed to be God-tier like Asriel or something! Hate flashed in his eyes briefly as Ram and Garfiel rushed over to their sides, as he felt weak again. Useless. He felt like he was just a pathetic, greedy prince who dreamed too big.

Yet again, he followed a script. Due to his experiences with RESETs in the past with Frisk, he had gotten pretty good at memorizing what he and other people said and was able to follow instructions very well. It was a simple game to him. But he was admittedly half-hearted in everything he did, and the people around him noticed the change in the normally confident Ryu, who seemed to be a little more reserved and less energetic. Ryu knew they noticed, too. But there was little he could do about that, after what he had just… experienced. He couldn't act like he normally did, because he knew there was a hopeless situation waiting for him outside. Eventually…

"I'm sorry, Ryu-kun…" Emilia said as the Prince smiled weakly. "I didn't mean to lose my composure like that."

"Hey, it's fine, Emi!" Ryu said in an attempt to encourage her, as he knelt in front of her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Just rest. We can figure out a plan tomorrow. Nothing we can't beat when we work together, right?"

"Ah… right…" Emilia nodded slightly, a faint smile on her face as she looked up at her friend. Ryu nodded back and shifted his gaze to Ram.

"Make sure to take care of Emi, Ram." He said as the oni maid nodded. He looked behind him, noticing how Emilia was shivering. Ryu swore to himself to never let Emilia feel pain like this again and then left the room, standing outside and staring up at the night sky as he tried to figure out what to do.

"Ryu-sama, are you even listening to me?" He heard once he had pulled himself out of his thoughts, looking at his assistant.

"What's up?" He asked Otto, as the merchant looked at him in worry.

"Ryu-sama, are you doing alright?" Otto asked him, with Ryu going silent for a moment before nodding with a grin.

"Yep! Doing perfectly fine!" Ryu responded, hiding his emotions behind a mask of Determination, his red eye glowing slightly. "What, didja think something was off?"

"No, nothing looks off at all." Otto denied, before his eyes narrowed. "Except the fact that you've seemed to have lost a small bit of your normal confidence. You seem more hesitant, fearful. Calculative." Ryu stared at Otto in silence, not even bothering to give him an answer. "...Perhaps I'm just overthinking things though."

"Yeah, you most definitely are overthinking things, Otto," Ryu replied as he got up and straightened up. "But I can say definitively that you've been pretty helpful as an assistant, Otto."

"W-what? But I didn't even do anything for you yet!" Otto exclaimed in confusion, causing Ryu to smirk slightly.

"Nothing you can visibly see, maybe. But I can say you've helped, and that's the truth." He walked over and patted the merchant's shoulder, smiling. He wasn't lying either, since the merchant's existence did allow him to stay calm. Thus was the nature of a Perseverance soul, as they naturally had an aura that kept people calm and collected. Like Wilhelm or Crusch for example. Plus, the fact that Otto was his assistant helped there too.

"A-ah, alright then, Ryu-sama…" Otto smiled nervously, as the boy took his boss's compliment. Ryu smirked in response, as just then he shifted his gaze to the right, hearing someone walking over in their direction.

"Yo, got a sec?" Garfiel asked, walking over in their direction with a lamp in his hand. Ryu jumped down to meet up with him in the middle, hands kept in his pockets. "You still seem as shady as ever, _Prince_."

"Being shady is one of my best qualities, then," Ryu responded casually, taking what could have been an insult and turning it into something he could be proud of. Garfiel scoffed at that. "I assume you're here to talk about the Sanctuary?"

"What the hell would I come here to talk about other than that, huh?!" Garfiel snapped. "Of course it's the Sanctuary!" Ryu had a cocky response to give the teen in response but decided to hold back so he didn't hurt the young man's pride.

"Right then! Otto, I'll be gone for a bit, so behave yourself!" Ryu responded with a smile, patting his assistant on the shoulder.

"A-ah alright then! But you better do the same, Ryu-sama!" Otto half-requested, half-demanded with Ryu nodding in response as he left.

* * *

Ryu silently stared at the form of Ryuzu, standing in the middle of an empty field. "So, you're the one who wanted to talk then, Ryuzu?" Ryu asked, as the maybe-elf hummed.

"You may interpret it that way if that is what you wish," Ryuzu replied. "Young Gar is my attendant after all."

Ryu silently looked around for a while, before his eyes settled back onto Ryuzu. "What do you want, Ryuzu-san?" He asked, as he felt the wind around them pick up slightly, his spiky hair blowing in the wind.

"I'm sure you have questions, Young Ryu. About how Frederica was able to leave the Sanctuary, more specifically." Ryuzu said, as the Prince nodded in confirmation. "What exactly do you want to do with that information?"

"I want to assess the situation, get a hold of every bit of information I can get my hands on," Ryu replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Eventually, I will free the Sanctuary. One way or another. Whether it be through the 'normal' way or finding an alternate path. I'm not just gonna sit around and twiddle my thumbs."

"...In a way, you'd be right that there _could_ be an alternate path." Ryuzu eventually admitted. "But are you willing to spend your time searching for an alternate path when we have already tried before?"

"You didn't have someone with as much Determination as me before," Ryu replied, as he knew even Flugel didn't have Determination. When he came here, his Determination didn't carry over into his new body. Instead, all he kept was his Justice and mere fragments of what could have been his alternate trait, Patience. "I'm going to find a way out of this place one way or another, and then Emilia can rest easy."

Ryuzu patiently stared at him as she waited for him to finish speaking. "That may work for the trial, but it is not wise to constantly run-"

"I'm not trying to shelter her, or giving her a chance to run. I'm just giving her time to get stronger before she faces her past." Ryu responded instantly, barely repressed fury in his eyes. "I _know_ Emilia can do this! But she needs time, and I'm speaking from personal experience to know that! I wouldn't have been able to face the knowledge of my own past if it wasn't for the time I've taken to grow older and more mature, if it wasn't for the support of friends around me. I want to support Emilia just as I was supported, and then… then she can face her past and come out stronger for it, I just know it."

"Alright ol' hag, I've had enough of this sappy crap!" Garfiel cut in, as the two looked over in his direction. "Tell 'im already! Tell 'im it's just like a gadgy gwadzeadd tryin' to hide in the mountains!" Ryu was once again lost by the strange idioms and phrases that Garfiel was using, and looked at Ryuzu with an eyebrow raised.

"What Young Gar is trying to say is that there is no convenient way to escape," Ryuzu explained, as Ryu's red eye narrowed, glowing a bit brighter. "Frederica's escape was an exception from the rule. She does not meet the conditions of being held in the barrier." As Ryu heard that, his mind wracked for any solutions or reasons to this, eventually settling as one possibility came to mind.

"She's not a pure 'half-blooded' human, is she? She's a quarter-blooded hybrid." Ryu realized as Ryuzu smiled slightly.

"Yet again, you show how quickly you catch onto things, Young Ryu. Yes, she is a quarter-blood, as you put it." Ryuzu confirmed, with Ryu looking over at Garfiel for further explanations, his mind hungry for knowledge as his experience back in the Underground kicked in. He knew this current situation was something he was going to have to loop for a while to get _all_ information necessary.

"We have different dads." Garfiel clarified. "I'm Garfiel Tinsel. I'm pretty sure she goes by a different surname." She certainly did, and that explained a lot now that he thought of it.

"She was born to a human mother and a mixed-blood father." Ryuzu continued. "Therefore, she can enter and exit the forests at will." At that, Garfiel scoffed loudly.

"Hah! Enter and leave, huh? Don't make me laugh!" Garfiel said, as Ryu realized the two were likely not on friendly terms. Maybe he despised his sister for leaving the Sanctuary? He was unsure. "She hasn't been back here in over ten years! Frederica abandoned this place!"

"Young Gar…" Ryuzu began, as Garfiel scoffed, looking away. She sighed and shifted her focus back onto Ryu again. "Well, now you know. I apologize for making you listen so long to learn so little."

"Any knowledge is good knowledge if you know how to use it, Ryuzu. I don't mind." Ryu smiled in an attempt to make the maybe-elf feel a bit better. "But still, it seems I'll have to figure out something… maybe…" Ryu looked directly into Ryuzu's eyes. "Ryuzu-san, I'd like to make a request of you. There's something I want to tell you, but I want confirmation that it won't be spoken of."

"Very well, we will tell no one." Ryuzu eventually relented, as Ryu took a deep breath and sighed.

"Alright. I can undergo the trials in Emilia's place." He said as Ryuzu and Garfiel's eyes widened. "You saw me, I was able to enter the Graveyard unharmed, and it even began to glow. That's because I have the qualifications to complete the trials. Whether it's because of my blood or something else, I don't know. But I do know this. I can do them, and I've already passed one."

"You passed the trial?!" Garfiel seemed genuinely surprised as Ryu smirked in his direction before his eyes landed back on Ryuzu, red and yellow-green shining faintly.

"You're probably thinking about how things have gotten more complicated, arent'cha?" Ryu grinned, as Ryuzu eventually nodded.

"Yes, you took those very words right out of my mouth, Young Ryu," Ryuzu said. "But I now understand your point." She then nodded over in Garfiel's direction. "Young Ryu, there is something important I must tell you as well."

"And what would that be?" Ryu said, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Right now, I need you to keep quiet and behave yourself," Ryuzu said as Ryu felt his danger senses go off. Garfiel grabbed him by his neck, as Ryu's eyes narrowed fearlessly.

"So, this is your plan, huh? You honestly expect me to stay quiet and just accept whatever sick plan you've got for me?" Ryu began to laugh, as Garfiel and Ryuzu began to feel genuinely unnerved by the fearlessness in his eyes. It wasn't just courage, it was genuine _fearlessness_ , as if he was disallowing himself to feel the primal emotion of fear. "Well, I've got bad news for you." Garfiel heard a humming above them and looked up to see a strange dragon-shaped skull pointing down at them with magical energy building up. It was too late though. "I'm taking you all with me. Rather die than be killed!" Ryu closed his fist, as the blaster went off, a massive explosion going off in the Sanctuary.

* * *

" _ **You are growing bolder and bolder, Ryu."**_ The boy looked up to find himself not back at his save point, but stuck in a strange void. Austin stood above him, lazing around in a large blob-like form. " _ **Did you honestly have to kill Ryuzu and Garfiel along with yourself? That's such a strange way to go."**_

"You should know by now that I don't take kindly to capture," Ryu responded. "Where even am I?"

" _ **This is**_ **the** _**Void, Ryu. I have brought you here for one reason."**_ Austin's 'eyes' narrowed as he stared down at him, with Ryu feeling like an ant before the godlike being. " _ **We are going to stay here for a while, until your Soul adapts to the Authority of Sloth and absorbs some Void energy into it. You are not a naturally slothful person, so we need to ensure that you both have the ability to summon it from a different Source, as well as let the power that was once your Corruption settle back into you."**_

"This is surprisingly thought-out, Aus," Ryu commented. "Have you been planning this-"

" _ **Since the felling of Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti, I have been planning, yes,"**_ Austin confirmed his suspicions. " _ **Now, get comfortable. I know that your trials of pain have only just begun. Take this respite and rest."**_

And rest, Ryu did.

Eventually, Ryu found himself waking up with Austin staring down at him impassively. " _ **Have you rested up well, Ryu?"**_ The Hate Origin asked, with Ryu nodding in response. " _ **Ah, that's good. I have a… job for you, and some advice. Something I know will be helpful in your journey."**_

"What is it, Aus?" Ryu asked the Hate Origin as the being went silent.

" _ **I need you to visit an alternate timeline,"**_ Austin said, as the Void around them began to crack and shatter. A portal formed behind Ryu, as Austin raised a black tentacle-like _thing_ from his normally formless body. " _ **You will learn something… albeit in the hard way. You will return to me once you have completed this task. As for the advice, don't tell**_ **anyone** _**about your ability to Reset. You will only bring chaos."**_ Ryu was then smacked into the portal, with Austin giving him no chance to respond. " _ **...This better be worth it, you so-called Pure soul… Ryushinsei."**_

From the darkness, a young man who looked like Ryu walked out, his hair and eyes both colored a pale green. "Oh, don't worry, _Austin_. This will be worth it. Thank you for helping me." Ryusei smirked, dark intent in the Spirit of Purity's eyes.

* * *

Ryu eventually found himself waking up in an icy wasteland, coughing to himself as he got up and looked around. "The hell… were you thinking, Aus?" He complained as he walked around. He was unaffected by the cold, yes, but he was annoyed that Austin had just _shoved_ him into another timeline without even asking him. It took only moments for him to realize he was alone.

There was no sign of life. Empty clothes and houses surrounded every inch of the snow-covered Sanctuary, and Ryu felt dread creep up his back. Everything was too… clean, too snow-covered to just have everyone… gone. It wasn't as if they had left, no, this was akin to a ghost town. He felt like he had just stumbled upon a Genocide Route Snowdin from how cold and lifeless the Sanctuary was.

Ryu kept pushing, however, as he was determined to figure out what was going on. "This… makes no sense…" Ryu eventually muttered to himself, as he looked to the side to see a white bunny with a horn on its head staring at him. "...The Great Rabbit." Ryu realized moments later, as he used his power to form a large amount of Hate and condensed it into a super-pellet. He threw the dark orb of energy at the rabbit, who immediately began feeding as its eyes began to glow brightly. Hundreds of more rabbits flooded the area as they began to feed on the Hate orb, with Ryu taking a step back. He didn't expect to meet this sort of concentration of Gluttony Beasts.

Ryu knew it was only a matter of time before these Rabbits had finished feeding on the Hate Pellet, as he stumbled back and formed one after the other to attempt an escape, distract the hungry beasts with food. He refused to let himself be eaten. But then, as he stumbled back, he fell onto his back from tripping over one of the Great Rabbits. Just as he was afraid to be eaten, he noticed how passive the Rabbits were. They seemed hungry and their eyes were lit up with malice, but they didn't act. His eyes widened slightly as he realized there could be an explanation to this. When he killed the one who took Rem's existence, he took their Authority, their Witch Factor. Gluttony was able to control the Mabeasts, and it seemed that the Authority was active enough to keep him alive.

But he wasn't willing to test his luck though, as he noticed the hunger in the beasts' eyes was only intensifying. They had only paused because he was able to summon the Hate Pellets, and he knew it. But his Hate wasn't infinite. He couldn't possibly summon enough to feed the Rabbits forever. It didn't take long for the rabbits to act, as they rushed in on the boy, with Ryu jumping into the air and landing on an Integrity Platform to dodge the beasts. "Uh, Austin! Get me out of here! Now!" He didn't receive any answer, though, as Ryu felt even more dread creep up his spine. "Aus…?"

"Now, you must learn from suffering, boy." He heard a voice say, one eerily similar to his own, with Ryu's eyes widening. The Integrity Platform beneath him shattered and collapsed despite Ryu's efforts to pump it with more Integrity Magic, and Ryu knew… he was now rabbit food.

_Ryu didn't even get the chance to numb his nerves with his Pain Negation ability._

* * *

When Ryu reappeared at his save point, he was too shocked, too stunned to move. Too stunned to do anything. He had died, yes. Nothing new. But the worst part was he was _eaten_. Eaten _alive_. And no matter how hard he tried to fight, he couldn't beat the endless hordes, who chewed through his attacks and munched on his defenses for a snack. Ryu's soul felt damaged. Not physically, but on a conceptual level, he felt pain. "Dona… please… take me in…" He begged in his current pain-addled state.

" _You have once again earned the qualifications."_ He heard Echidna's soothing voice say, as Ryu felt his worries washing away with the Witch of Greed's tone. " _I invite you to a Witch's Tea Party."_

Ryu found himself back in the Plains of Echidna's tea party, silently staring at the Witch of Greed. "...You listened… you actually listened to me," Ryu muttered, as Echidna smiled at him from her seat.

"Now, now, Ryu-kun," She admonished slightly. "Did you expect for me to abandon my first friend or something? You asked me to take you in, so here I am." Ryu eventually nodded as he walked over to the Witch of Greed.

"Echidna… I need to ask you something." Ryu began, as Echidna looked up at him in confusion. He then placed his hands on her shoulders, a deadly serious look on his face. "How do I access the powers of the Authorities I've obtained?"

"I-I can tell you anything you need to know, Ryu-kun, just please sit down!" Echidna exclaimed, as she then looked away in a semi-bashful manner. "I didn't expect for you to be so forceful."

"Eh? Oh, sorry then. I got a bit too excited," Ryu apologized as he sat down across from Echidna and casually gulped down the body fluid tea. He was still unfazed by the idea of drinking or eating absurd substances, due to his experiences both in the Underground and from hanging out with Echidna in the past. "Meh, still as bland as ever. Will you ever make normal tea?"

"I could, but I don't really don't care to. Don't see a reason," Echidna replied as Ryu sighed. He expected as much.

"Echidna, how much do you _really_ know about me?" He asked as Echidna looked up at him and was about to answer, but he cut in before she could say anything. "And I don't mean Flugel. I mean me. This me. The _real_ me. Prince Ryutensei James Henderson-Shock."

"...If you are asking what I know, I only know what I know," Echidna answered in a semi-evasive way. "If you're asking how much I _want_ to know, I want to know everything there is in this world. No, not just that." Her eyes narrowed, as a faint ring of Patience shone around her eyes. "I wish to know everything in every universe, every timeline. You have confirmed the idea of a Multiverse in the past, and I want to know all about it."

"Echidna…" Ryu began, as he closed his eyes in anticipation, a part of him doubting if he should tell her this. But another part of him told him to trust his old friend, and despite logic being a normal driving force of Ryu's Determination, he placed his trust in his emotions. "When I die, I reset. The world reverts to zero, and a new timeline is created from there. I am an Anomaly."

"That is surely… an interesting explanation," Echidna said, as Ryu looked up to see the girl smiling at him calmly. Ryu didn't know how this was possible, Austin said if he told anyone about Reset, he would only find himself in trouble. That it would bring chaos. Telling normal mortals about Reset usually broke their minds under the stress of knowing their fates weren't even theirs, that someone else controlled them. "My, my, Ryu-kun! Stop staring at me like that. It almost makes me feel like a schoolgirl being fawned over."

This wasn't possible… "How… you can't be possibly…" She was supposed to be breaking down, or dead… that's what Austin's words suggested. Was he wrong? Was Austin wrong?

"I can assure you, Ryu-kun, I am real," Echidna said, as she smiled up at him. Ryu didn't know how to respond, as he realized he could finally tell someone not only about his capabilities of Reset and the pain it brought him in this world… but the pain it brought him in his old world. Over six-hundred times, Ryu had been killed back home. Over six-hundred times, and 99% of those deaths were caused by one being. Six-hundred deaths that Ryu never got over. Six-hundred deaths that Ryu was still traumatized by, but was forced to ignore, boiling in the back of his mind. Ryu's eyes filled with tears as he fell to the floor, feeling like a burden had been taken off his back.

Yes, Ryushi and Austin existed, but they were beings of darkness. Unable to empathize properly. They were meant for combat and destruction, not chats, vents, and other therapeutic ways for Ryu to get over his pain. It was then that Ryu felt Echidna embrace him, as his eyes widened. "I know." She said as Ryu felt a part of him be released. The months of pent up frustration and weakness. He felt the Witch of Greed, no, his friend stroke his hair gently as she used to do back in the day when he hung out with her. When he used to get tired. "I know of everything that's led you here. I know of the pain you have felt for so long. I know of your countless deaths, and how they've affected you. How you never got to move forward from your traumas, how you never got a real chance to talk to your murderer. I was watching you from the very beginning, Ryu-kun." He looked up at her, as he saw a little bit of the old Echidna return. "But watching is all I've done. So, if you can, I'd like for you to tell me yourself… what you have thought, how you have felt, and all the weight you've carried." Echidna then smiled at him, as Ryu felt a dam inside of him break open. "I want to know. After all, I am the Witch of Greed, who wants to know everything in existence."

" _That's me, Echidna."_

* * *

Ryu silently took sips of his tea, having finally figured out a way to use _**Black Warp**_ in Echidna's realm. Echidna was slightly offended and disappointed that he didn't feel like having her 'Dona Tea' anymore, but got over it quickly as she realized Ryu was a goldmine of experiences and knowledge. Knowledge that surpassed even his many books he had given her during his time as Flugel. He was valuable, but not just because of his knowledge, but because he was a friend. Even in her current state, she had enough self-awareness to know that Ryu was the reason she went apathetic. But now she had her oldest friend in front of her, and she was free to talk with him at her leisure yet again. "Ryu-kun, I-"

"Dona, I know that you can link me up with the other Witches," Ryu eventually said to the shock of the Witch of Greed. "I want to talk with them. Especially Daphne. I need a refresher on the Great Beasts… and their weaknesses." His eyes narrowed, as she could see Ryu's stubborn determination would be impossible to stop. He would get his chats with the other Witches, no matter what. She sighed in exhaustion, now remembering how tiring Flugel was, and he didn't even have Determination as a soul trait.

"You truly have an exhausting amount of Determination, Ryu-kun," Echidna commented, causing Ryu to smirk slightly. "Well, I'm sure you're regaining your memories, but I want to ensure you don't get yourself into trouble when you meet Daphne. Firstly, no matter what, don't release Daphne's restraints." Echidna warned. "Secondly, you are forbidden to touch her. You should also avoid eye contact, if possible."

"You're really instructing me on how to interact with my former friends, aren't you?" Ryu asked with a raised eyebrow, as Echidna smirked back at him.

"I wish you the best of luck, Ryu-kun." She said, before dispersing into particles of light. Ryu was briefly blinded by the intensity of said light, before it died down and Ryu's vision swiftly returned.

"Ne, ne! Rai-yu! Have you been taking care of yourself?" The cheerful voice of a young girl hit Ryu's ears as he looked at the chair before him, where an old friend now sat. A little girl with deep green hair that stretched to their shoulders, with red eyes and brown skin, wearing a white and blue one-piece like dress. She also wore a blue flower hairpin. Ryu's eyes widened as he stared at the form of Typhon, his 'little sister' back in his days as Flugel. "I missed talking to you!" Typhon smiled at him, as she jumped out of her seat.

Ryu rushed over and fell to his knees as he hugged Typhon, missing his little sister as memories of her flooded his mind. He, as Flugel, had found her one day as she was judging people, and while he was both deeply disturbed and concerned for how a child was judging people for their 'sins', he couldn't bring it in him to take action against her. So he did his best to guide her, which led to him becoming her older brother. Typhon giggled from the tight hug, as she hugged her brother figure back. "Looks like you've missed talking to me too, Rai-yu!"

"I missed everything about you, Starlight," Ryu responded as he eventually released the hug. He extended his hand out to her, already knowing his sister's thought process. "I bet you want to judge me, right?"

"That's right! I was wondering if you're a bad guy, Rai-yu-oniisan!" Typhon grinned slightly, as she grabbed at Ryu's hand, focusing slightly. "Sin can only be repaid with pain." Typhon chanted, as Ryu noticed his arm was now missing but didn't register it as he impassively stared at Typhon. "Oh, you don't feel pain! You really aren't a bad guy! That's good! Very good! Onii-san isn't a bad person! But let's see here… Sin will become a wedge that allows no escape."

Wait, that wasn't apart of the- Ryu immediately found himself falling apart as his body shattered like someone had dropped a vase. He felt no pain still, but he did feel sort of annoyed… "So, you see yourself as a sinner even though you aren't a bad guy?" Typhon questioned him as she hovered over his broken form. "That's really sad, onii-san!" Typhon pouted slightly before she grinned. "Oh well, that's all Typhon came here for! I hope we can play tag soon, onii-san! Playing with Carmilla is getting a little dull nowadays. Now, that leaves…"

Ryu watched Typhon fade as he felt an impending sense of doom coming in his direction. This was going to end badly for him, wasn't it? "First! To strike all that defies reason in this world!" A voice called out from above, as Ryu felt his danger senses going off on an alarm as the voice got closer. "Second! Who cares about committing every heinous wrongdoing! Third! Whether it's ugly or beautiful, if you're here in this fleeting world, don't expect to come out of it unscathed!"

_Oh god please no why was it Minerva he wasn't mentally prepared to interact with her-_

A massive explosion rocketed out as Minerva crash-landed onto the scene, a cloud of dust and hearts floating around for a bit. "My fist will restore the world! My anger will cleanse the world! My rage, the fury of my fists, shall be my answer!" Ryu then felt Minerva punch him about a dozen times, and by the end of it he was restored to full health, but he was still very nervous about the idea of interacting with Minerva.

"Looks like you're still as furious as ever, Minerva…" Ryu eventually said once he had gotten over his nervousness, with the blonde girl immediately beginning a mini-tirade of anger.

"That's right, I'm angry!" Minerva confirmed as Ryu laughed nervously. "It's Typhon's fault for hurting you like that! Stupid Typhon!" She immediately began slamming her foot into the ground, shaking everything as a mini-earthquake began to happen. "I hate this stupid world for making her do that! I hate all of it!"

"Thanks for helping me regardless, 'Nerva…" Ryu muttered as the girl wiped away at her furious tears.

"Y-yeah, yeah whatever! Listen up!" She turned her fury to Ryu, as she pointed at the young Prince/Sage reincarnation. "If you've learned your lesson, don't do anything reckless! Next time, I'll just heal everyone!"

' _Jeez, 'Nerva, I've got it already.'_ Ryu tiredly thought to himself, but didn't express his exhaustion with the Witch of Wrath. She eventually dispersed into light particles just like Echidna and Typhon did before her. Ryu was then again blinded, as a flash of light shot outwards. Once the light cleared, a simple coffin stood before him. It opened up, though, to reveal Daphne inside as it began to crawl from side to side.

"Ne, Ryu, I'm impressed that you've been able to get this far without your original source of strength," Daphne commented, as Ryu sighed in relief, knowing that he was now finally able to talk to Daphne. His actual goal. Not that he wasn't thankful for the chance to speak with Typhon and Minerva though. He was actually really happy to see two of his old friends again, even if he was exhausted of Minerva's fury. "What is it you want to know, old friend?"

Ryu smiled at Daphne, as she did the same instinctively, recognizing him as Flugel; the one who fed her when she was at her most starving. He didn't rid her of her hunger, but he was most definitely patient when it came to her, and she had enough sense to recognize Ryu as someone who she could trust. Her mindset was similar to an animal's, and animals sometimes trusted the hands that fed them and didn't bite, all it took was patience. "I want to know more about the Three Great Mabeasts. The Whale, the Rabbits, and the Serpent." Ryu requested as Daphne hummed.

"Oh, the whale, the bunny, and the snake? I remember them." Daphne said. "What exactly do you want to know about them Ryu? There isn't much I can tell you since you were the one who initially gave me the idea of creating them as food sources."

"The Snake ain't no food source, it's an all-consuming plague, Daph." Ryu tiredly sighed, before looking up at the Witch of Gluttony with a more serious look. "I want to know their weaknesses, anything you can tell me to give me a chance to fight back. I know it's survival of the fittest in your eyes, but wouldn't it make sense for things to be a little more like nature? Where both predator and prey know of the weaknesses of the other?"

"...You know just how to reason with me, don't you, Ryu?" Daphne's smile widened slightly as she rushed over in her Centipede Coffin, a wide sharp-teethed grin on her face. "I should have expected nothing less from my oldest friend!" She then drew back, as she sniffed the air. "What's this… smell? It's…" Her mouth opened wide as she caught a Hate Pellet that Ryu threw at her, consuming it instantly as her entire body shivered. "Ryu, I knew you were still as kind as Flugel! Generous too, that was so filling! I'll tell you everything you need to know about the Rabbit's weaknesses!" At that, Ryu smirked. It was easy to work with Daphne since she had a simple mindset. "The Great Rabbit relies on mana and other powerful sources of energy to find its prey." She said as Ryu's eyes widened.

That did make sense... and explained why they seemed to seem so passive against him for a while. Not only did he have an Authority of Gluttony sleeping somewhere in his soul, but he was literally an infinite source of magic when it came to Hate. If he could better use his Hate, he could technically sate the Great Rabbit forever. "But it can multiply indefinitely. Won't some likely be left over, separated from the group or something?"

"There may be many of them, but they aren't very wise, Ryu." Daphne denied. "They all share the same consciousness, so they will all follow the strongest mana point. If you can figure out a way of getting rid of them or even killing them, I will be most impressed." Daphne then smiled. "I'm also happy to hear that you've tamed a Mabeast yourself. A Wolgarm, right?"

"How'd you-"

"It was meant to be a surprise, but I'm very happy to know that Teymin found her way to you." Daphne shook in her Centipede Coffin, as he could feel the animalistic joy in her voice and aura. "She's a good girl, right? She's been protecting you, right? I want to know if my gift was doing a good job!"

"Gift? So you… created her for… me?" At her nod, Ryu pondered over this and eventually laughed. "Man, I would have never expected you to give me such a strange yet endearing gift!" After wiping away a singular tear of joy, he smiled at Daphne. "She's doing good, Daph. Thank you for giving me her."

"Ah, don't mention it, Ryu! Consider it a late birthday present from me!" Daphne smiled slightly before yawning. "I'm tired… can I go now?"

"Yeah, you can leave. Thanks for everything, Daph." He said, as the Witch of Gluttony nodded and dispersed into light like the rest of the Witches before her. When Ryu's eyes adjusted again to the flashbang of light, Echidna sat before him on her chair, sipping away at her tea. "...Welcome back, Dona."

"It's nice to be back, Ryu-kun." She smiled as she settled down her cup. "I hope you were able to learn from Daphne despite the… setbacks."

"There were no setbacks," Ryu said to Echidna's surprise, as she looked up to see him more confident and much more determined. "I got to see my old friends and, dare I say it, family. So I say even in the off-chance that I _didn't_ learn anything from Daph, I would have still said it was a successful venture."

Echidna softly giggled at that. "Still as optimistic as you usually were, hm? I suppose that's what makes you endearing. Your optimism and determination." She stood up as she refilled the kettle with new tea, placed down a tray of cookies, and poured him a new cup of her tea. Ryu looked up at her with a suspicious look in his eyes.

"You didn't put any hair or anything like that in these cookies, did you?" He asked as Echidna pouted.

"I'm not that shameless, Ryu-kun! I'm frankly offended you would even suggest that!" Echidna said, as Ryu's eyes narrowed. He didn't trust that statement too much, but he didn't have it in him to care. Just as he was about to grab a cookie, he felt a pang of… something echo through his body. Not pain or anything like that. More like… he was being forced awake. "Ah, looks like it's almost time for you to wake up. Perhaps something sped up your awakening from the outside world…"

Ryu slowly forced himself to get up as he stared at Echidna. "Send me back, Dona. I need to figure out what's going on outside, don't want to worry whoever's trying to wake me up." Maybe it was Emilia, considering she was right next to him in the Tomb.

"Of course. I will not hinder you any longer." Echidna smiled, as she stood up and walked over to him, taking his hands into her own. "I hope you will come visit me again in another Witch's Tea Party. Perhaps in that chance… I will be able to tell _you_ something." Ryu's vision began to blur and white-out as he was forced to awaken.

* * *

As Ryu woke up on the warm (read: cold) floor, he got up and coughed as he felt like his body had forgotten to breathe in its sleep. "Goddamn it, is this gonna be a frequent thing?" Ryu muttered to himself, before realizing that something was off. Emilia wasn't in the Tomb anymore. Paranoia set in. What happened? Did something attack? Did the Great Rabbit make its way here already? Why was he left alone in that case? Ryu shook off the questions and dark thoughts as he ran out of the Graveyard to notice that everything was covered in darkness. In shadows. In shadows that cut into everything.

_Dark, darker, yet darker. The darkness keeps growing. Shadows cutting deeper. Photons readings negative._

Ryu shook off the thoughts, as he found the darkness to be more familiar the more he stared at it. The shadows he saw in his fight with his old lover. The shadows that accompanied both Satella and the Witch of Envy. He watched with wide eyes as the darkness formed itself into the shape of a woman, of a girl he knew and once deeply cared for. No, one he _still_ deeply cares for. "Is that you… 'Tella?" He asked hesitantly, as the girl stuck her hands out to him.

" _I love you."_ Satella said, as the amount of love radiating off her form and laced into her voice was almost toxic. Overwhelming. He couldn't tell if this was Satella, his Moonlight, or Envy. " _I love you. I love you."_ She got closer to him as Ryu felt petrified, unable to do anything as the girl who was covered in shadows hugged him and held him close. " _I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."_

The love was overwhelming. Nothing existed but her love. Ryu didn't have it in him to respond, as he slowly crept his arms up. He still loved Satella, even after all that had happened, nothing would change that. But he couldn't bring himself to voice it in all of this overwhelming love. The darkness crawled up his body, as he couldn't even fight back. Was this it? Was he going to be consumed in this infinite love?

…

…

...

"Quit screwing around!" Ryu heard, as a being forcefully separated him and Satella as an explosion of force radiated outwards. Once Ryu had managed to get a hold of his mind again, he looked up at Garfiel, who grabbed him by the collar of his jacket. "We're jumping now, _Prince_!" Garfiel warned, as he then jumped into the air, with Ryu barely able to keep himself from panicking as his mind was currently overwhelmed with all that was happening. The shadows chased after them, not wanting to let either Garfiel or the object of their affections escape. Ryu was able to block them momentarily, slow them down by forming shields of Kindness and Determination. Kindness held them back for a few seconds, with Determination faring better and holding back the tendrils for about 15 seconds. "You're stronger than you let on, _Prince_. Maybe your claims aren't as bullshit as I first thought." Garfiel said as he dropped Ryu, with the young man reacting instantly as he landed on a building feet-first.

"Didn't expect for you to save me, Garfiel," Ryu commented, as he looked over in the direction of Satella. Or the Witch of Envy. He was unsure at the moment, as his brain wasn't given a chance to 'think'.

"Can't you see what's going on?" Garfiel commented. "What's important right now is finding a way to bite that thing's head off! And to do that we're gonna need firepower! I heard you were strong from both Ram's claims and your own, so you better live up to your own hype!"

Ryu's eyes narrowed, as he stared at the shadowy female. Why? Why was she here? Was it…. His eyes widened with fear, as he realized that maybe, just maybe… Austin's warning of 'not mentioning Reset or else there'd be chaos' was a reference to this? Was Satella's release from her prison triggered by the mentioning of his Determination's power? He had too many questions, not enough answers. But he knew one way to get answers. A knife formed in Ryu's hand, glowing crimson with Determination.

_He needed to figure out a way to win, or die trying!_

* * *

Ryu ran through the forests alongside Garfiel, slicing at tendrils that got too close with his Determination Knife. "Wait, we're going to the mansion?" Garfiel asked in confusion, narrowly avoiding a tendril which Ryu sliced at and forced to retreat. Ryu formed about a hundred shields of Kindness and Determination respectively, which was more effective on the Determination's end since he had an infinite amount of that.

"I need to figure out a way to stop everything!" Plus, if he was able to make it through the barrier somehow with Garfiel and led Satella to the Brown Leviathan… would she be able to kill the beast for him? It would surely be satisfying to see that beast felled by his… ex? Best not to think on that for now.

It was just then he heard rustling as he saw about a hundred or so Ryuzu clones walk up to them. How did he know they were clones? Simple. "They're… soulless." Ryu recognized instantly. "Garfiel, what are you planning?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Garfiel growled out, as he turned around, leading the army of Ryuzus. "We're gonna bust through with sheer numbers and crush that thing!"

_Oh. Ok then._ Ryu knew they were going to fail but it wasn't like he could stop Garfiel from going to try and complete his batshit insane plan.

The shadows grew closer as Satella/Envy neared them, the shadow-covered girl standing above them. " _I love you."_ She said as Ryu felt a shiver go up his spine. He did genuinely love Satella, but this was starting to get a little… unsettling.

"There you are!" Garfiel said, before a red aura surrounded him and he shifted into a large tiger-like beast to Ryu's slight shock. He didn't expect to see Garfiel's 'beast form' this early on. Garfiel roared and charged at the Witch of Envy, who casually restrained the rampaging beast, tightening her grasp on their body to ensure he didn't escape. Just then, he commanded the Ryuzu clones to attack, as they exploded once nearing the shadows of Satella. Eventually, her attention shifted to getting rid of the pesky explosive beings, with her shadows cutting through the Ryuzus.

Garfiel managed to escape Satella's hold and jumped into the air as if to pounce on her, but the shadows acted faster than he could react, piercing him and then swiftly exploding him from the inside. "...Well, that sucks." Ryu looked up at Satella, a bored look in his eyes. "I suppose you're just gonna love me forever or something?"

" _I love you,"_ Satella said again, confirming Ryu's suspicions.

"Yeah, that's about what I thought. Welp," Ryu stuck his arms out, as if to embrace Satella. "If you want me to love you, come and get me." Satella paused, before her shadows enveloped him just as Ryu planned.

The shadows coiled around him. Ryu was unable to see. It was like a void, where all that existed was a suffocating amount of devotion, of love. Ryu was able to hear Envy's voice from all around him, as he grit his teeth. He needed to find a way out… but his saves were inaccessible in his current state. But Ryu did know of one way to escape this timeline. " **Soul Magic: Hate Explosion.** " Ryu managed to say, as he felt his soul shatter instantaneously as he used his own limited Hate to destroy it from the inside out.

Envy gasped as she rushed to his side, tears streaking down her veiled face. Ryu reached out with whatever limited Determination he had, staring right at the face of Satella as he brought her veil back. He could see her sorrow, her tears of genuine sadness, and it broke his heart to hurt his Moonlight this way. It was then, that Ryu made an oath, reaching out to wipe away her tears. "I promise… I will find a way to save you… 'Tella. I…"

His words of love didn't get to reach Satella as he had died before he could say anything more.

* * *

…

The next loop wasn't changed much. Well, aside from Ryu possibly shedding a few tears unknowingly in front of Emilia, who pointed out said tears immediately. He knew what he had cried over, too. He cried over the fact he was unable to save the first girl to ever love him. Over his inability to save Satella.

But he didn't let that faze them, as Ryu was determined to figure out ways to both save the mansion and the Sanctuary. He strolled through lines of code as he rode Patrasche out of the Sanctuary, temporarily disabling his Alestian blood through **FILE 0** , so he could bypass the Barrier. He had also talked to Garfiel about this, telling him he could teach him soul magic when he came back, and that it _could_ help him win over Ram. The boy jumped at the opportunity (once Ryu did a little save scumming that is), and let him do whatever he wanted.

Once Ryu had arrived back at the mansion with Patrasche via teleportation, he informed Petra and Frederica of the situation. "Are you saying we need to evacuate from the mansion?" Frederica asked as Ryu nodded.

"Yeah. There's a barrier over in the village that I've put up after a certain incident," He looked at Petra for a moment as he said that, the 'incident' being the Witch Cult's attack. "It should protect you guys long enough."

"Protect? It sounds like there is some sort of big threat coming along…" Petra worriedly said, as Ryu rolled his eyes and patted her head.

"Just get to the village, Petra. We need to ensure everyone's safety." He said, as Petra eventually nodded and rushed off. Ryu locked his gaze with Frederica and nodded in her direction as he made his way into the mansion, ready to talk to Beatrice.

He made his way into the Great Library, a determined expression on his face as he closed the door behind him, staring at Beatrice. "You're finally here, I suppose," Beatrice said, looking up at him from where she sat.

"I've decided that I've wasted enough time, BB," Ryu replied as he walked over in her direction. "I've also decided I've learned enough about my past to come here. In all of my knowledge, I've learned more about my connections to you and of your blank Book." His eyes landed on the Tome of Wisdom, as his red eye looked over it and informed him of its empty state. By fusing **FILE 0** into his eye temporarily, he was able to see 'code' and other information. "And I've finally decided to get you out of here."

"Get me out? What are you talking about, I suppose?" Beatrice asked, a confused look in her eyes, but Ryu could see deeper. She was experiencing a flurry of emotions. Fear, anticipation, despair…. Hope. She was hoping he was going to somehow save her, Ryu could sense it. And Ryu _was_ going to save her. Just as he had once SAVEd his friends back home.

"You probably didn't expect for me to say that, since it doesn't coincide with anything you know, right?" Ryu said as he took steps forward, getting closer to Beatrice. "But here's the thing, I don't care about any Tomes of Wisdom or Gospels or anything like that. If anyone says that there's a predetermined path for me, then I'll just reject that. I'm going to do what _I_ want, not what some book expects me to do." He stuck his hand out, a telekinetic grasp of Blue Magic grasping the Tome and throwing it to the side as he glared at Beatrice. "I'm not abandoning you, BB! So just give up on that train of thought!"

"...'One day, that person will appear in the library'," Beatrice said as Ryu paused in confusion. The drill-haired spirit looked down, unable to face Ryu or look him in the eyes. "My job was to wait for that day, for _that_ person. I've been waiting for it all this time. But 'that person' never came, and the book never told me who it could be. Time just continued to pass, and then…" Beatrice's small fists clenched themselves as Ryu could see tears build up in Beatrice's eyes. "I don't care if you're not _that person_ … if you are the one who can finish me, put an end to my contract, who can take my life… I will settle for that, I suppose."

It was moments later that Ryu's fist slammed into a bookshelf loudly, shaking Beatrice out of her current state as she was startled by the sudden loudness. "KILL YOU?!" Ryu snapped, as Beatrice looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "YOU EXPECT ME TO KILL YOU?!" Ryu furiously wiped at his own eyes, where tears almost built up. "Like hell, I'll do that! And like hell I'll be _that person_ , if _that person_ was someone who abandoned you! Caused you pain for the past 400 years!" Ryu's eyes then flared with light as Beatrice stared at him in a mixture of awe and fear. "If this contract is causing you so much pain, then I'll just wipe it clean! I'll erase your contract and take your burdens as my own!" He pointed his hand at Beatrice, as a large amount of Hate-based Soul Magic formed in his hands, turning into a blackish-purple orb. " **ERASE: CONTRACT!** " He roared, as he shot the concentrated magic of Erasure at the Great Spirit, which hit her but did nothing but destroy the contract between Echidna and Beatrice.

"Ryu?" Beatrice hesitantly asked before she found herself embraced by the preincarnation of the Sage. "...Will you really… take me in? Would you really put me first?"

"BB, I would do anything if it meant I would be able to save you," Ryu said, as Beatrice felt tears flood her eyes, her own magic finding no lies in the statement. She knew Ryu was stubborn and would do anything to save her, but this… was too much for the spirit as she could feel his overwhelming kindness and compassion.

"What a heartwarming reunion of souls." Elsa's voice called out from behind them, as Ryu's eyes narrowed. "Though if I'm being honest, I think I've seen enough of this."

"Elsa, you dare-"

" _Shamak_." He heard Beatrice say, as the dark spell exploded outwards. Ryu took the chance to grab Beatrice and teleport out of the mansion, appearing elsewhere. "Where are you planning to take us?"

"To the village. It's the only safe space, I've put up a barrier that disallows those with malicious souls to enter the premises." Ryu replied, just as he looked up to see a girl standing at a bridge.

"Oh, it's you two!" The familiar face of Meili greeted him, surrounded by Mabeasts of all kinds. "What are you two doing here? Honestly, that Elsa is so sloppy…"

"You… you're working with Elsa, Meili?" He asked hesitantly, a part of him not wanting to believe that the missing village child was actually a spy working for the Bowel Hunter. Meili only smiled in response. "You…"

"I had a lot of fun when you used to play with us, Ryu-oniisan! So I'm willing to make you an offer! If you give up right now, I can make sure your death is swift and painless, unlike whatever Elsa has in store for you!" Meili grinned with childlike innocence, sending fury into Ryu's soul. It was then that Beatrice took a few steps forward, standing in front of Ryu almost as if she was guarding him. "Oh? Are you going to fight me?"

"My condolences, but I will not allow anyone to hurt Ryu," Beatrice said, her blue-purple butterfly-shaped eyes narrowing.

"I see, well, I'll let my partner take care of y-" Ryu turned around just as Meili was saying that, forming a shield of Determination and knocking Elsa back. Beatrice reacted as well, raising a hand as she fired off spells of her own, which destroyed whatever they touched.

"If you think you can beat me and Ryu when we're working together, then you're very naive," Beatrice said as she turned to face Elsa. "Plus, he has made a promise to save me, and I wish to see if he can pull it off. So, in this situation, he is my Contractor… and I will not allow you to kill him." Beatrice's eyes narrowed with malice, as a faint rainbow aura surrounded her.

"What an interesting development," Elsa giggled, unfazed by the danger she was now in. "A Great Spirit and a Prince working together. I will delight in this little fight."

Beatrice's eyes narrowed as she immediately went on the offensive, using Patience Magic to slow time to a crawl, and then raised her hand to the sky. " _Minya!_ " She called out her spell, as shards of crystallized time formed around Elsa and surrounded her. She snapped her fingers, time resuming as Elsa was unable to dodge the flurry of arrows. Eventually, Elsa's crystallized, beheaded body was revealed once the smoke settled, with Ryu's eyes narrowing. That couldn't be the end.

Both Beatrice and Ryu stayed on the defensive, knowing that Elsa wasn't dead because their soul didn't shatter in their soul vision. Moments later, Beatrice's eyes widened as she pushed Ryu to the side, knocking him over. Ryu looked up to see a knife stabbed through Beatrice's abdomen, with his eyes widening. "B...B?" He asked hesitantly, as the Great Spirit smiled at him through her tears.

"Ah… finally… freedom…" She said, as Ryu's eyes filled with his own tears. "Don't cry, Ryu… I don't blame you for anything." Beatrice fell forward as Elsa let them go, with Ryu catching the spirit in his arms.

"No, no! You aren't dying on me, BB!" Ryu hissed, his eyes burning with angry tears. He raised a hand over Beatrice's abdomen, trying to heal her with Kindness magic desperately, but soon was kicked away by Elsa while he was distracted. Ryu skid to the side, despair and fury in his eyes as he glared up at Elsa. "That was my friend, you fucking _whore_!" Ryu's hands ignited with magic, gold flames appearing in them as he summoned the power of **Retribution**. He then fired them at Elsa, who grinned madly and grabbed the flames to Ryu's shock, with the flames changing color to black as they were corrupted by Mirakn's power.

Elsa then redirected the fire back at Ryu with double the power, slamming into him with great force as his body skid across the floor like a ragdoll. Elsa then approached him with her knife, as she stabbed Ryu's red eye, sending him sprawling across the floor in pain. "I expected more of a fight from you, _Prince_ ," Elsa said in a bored tone. "Clearly, Blaze-sama overestimated your power…"

Ryu winced around in pain, barely able to keep himself from screaming as blood and Hate leaked from his damaged eye. The only thing keeping him from showing how much pain he was experiencing was the fact he was trying to dull his eye's pain with Hate while biting his own tongue to redirect the pain. "My, my Elsa! You're so cruel! Don't you pity him?"

"I pity this Spirit who was wasting her time and life on this weak 'Prince'," Elsa replied. Ryu grit his teeth as he looked up at Elsa hatefully, before noticing Beatrice move her hand in his direction and mouthing something. He couldn't hear her, though, as he was swiftly teleported away.

* * *

"...Reset," Ryu managed to say as he found himself appear in a strange prison-like cell. He wanted the timeline to reset. "Reset, Reset, Reset! Let me go back!" He summoned his screens and found the RESET option to be blotted out, with a note attached to it.

_If you want to reset, first you must face the consequences of your actions - Sei._

Ryu grit his teeth in frustration and anger as he slammed his fist into a wall, shattering it to bits. He eventually got over his rage and made his way outside, noticing how it was snowing. "No matter… as long as _they_ aren't here…" Ryu muttered, as he made his way to the Tomb. He pushed his way forward and opened the door, noticing Emilia standing there in the middle.

"Ryu-kun? Is that you?" Emilia smiled at him in an eerie fashion that sent shivers down Ryuuto's spine. She rushed over to his side, as Ryu fell forward, his scarred eye still bleeding. "Ryu-kun, you're hurt! Don't worry, I've got this! Emilia-chan will heal your eye!"

"Emi…?" Ryu was unsure of what to think of this, as he couldn't get a read on Emilia's emotions. It was like she was unable to feel anymore. It was unsettling. Emilia caught him when his legs gave out, giving him a tight hug.

"That's right, Ryu-kun. It's me, your Emilia…" The girl said, as Ryu was finally able to get a read on her, feeling one emotion radiating from her soul and psyche. Love. But it wasn't love in the normal sense, it was the type that made him scared. Love as in the terms of the Witch of Envy. Possessive, easily angered, jealous… _toxic._ "I was lonely, you know… You just ran away and left me behind. I was so scared…"

"Emi, I-"

"It's okay though!" Emilia cut him off as she smiled at him, a mixture of madness and adoration in her amethyst eyes. "You came back to me in the end! I never stopped believing that you'd come back! I knew that if I completed my task, you'd come back to save me. That you would be my hero, my knight in shining armor. I was somewhat scared that you might end up hating me… so I came here to try and complete the trial, but that didn't help at all. But I'm so, so happy that you've shown up, Ryu-kun! Stay with me forever, okay?"

" _Ryu-kun, I love you!"_

* * *

Die. Ryu wanted to die. Pain radiated from every part of his body. He had confronted Roswaal with help from Garfiel and Ram, but the clown margrave had put up a fight and killed both of them and then told him about his sadistic plans.

Ryu had killed the man, of course, it wasn't even a fight. It was a one-sided massacre on the Hate-fueled Ryu's side. He had just witnessed his friends' deaths, so he was justifiably furious. But that was just where the problems began, as Ryu had swiftly encountered the Great Rabbits. They had swarmed him from every direction, looking at him expectantly after consuming Roswaal's body once he had thrown it in their direction. " _Feed us. Feed us, master."_ He heard them say in the back of his mind, likely a side-effect of his dormant Authority of Gluttony.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot feed you myself. Eat everything else, I suppose." He had instructed the beasts, who hopped off in search of more food. Ryu found that he couldn't control the Great Rabbits with his Authority, merely redirect them. If he told them to eat in the opposite direction of the Graveyard, they would listen until they ran out of things to eat there. Which eventually did happen, as they returned with desperate looks in their eyes. He had nothing to give them, though, as he barely managed to escape to the Graveyard and put up backup shields. His body was mangled in bites, blood, and hate leaking from his wounds.

"Ryu-kun? Oh, you've returned!" Emilia smiled at him as she stood up, with Ryu staring at her with his one good eye. She rushed over to his side and embraced him. "Gosh, where have you been? I missed you _soooo_ much!" Emilia giggled, as Ryu was unable to say anything, he was pretty sure his throat was damaged. "I got so worried, you know?" Ryu tried to say something, but Emilia quickly shushed him by placing a gentle finger over his lips. "Ah, don't say a thing, Ryu-kun. Come now…" She took his hands into her own, smiling at him lovingly. "It's okay now, my sweet, determined Dragon. You fought valiantly." She led him away and sat down, as she looked up at him. "Come, sit here, boys like 'lap pillows' right?"

Ryu eventually obeyed as he rested his head back on Emilia's lap, closing his eyes. "Ah, you look so tired… you've been pushing yourself for everyone's sakes… but you never once think for yourself…" Emilia smiled down at him. "Ah, but don't worry! Emilia-chan will take care of you! I love you after all! Only push yourself for _me_."

As Ryu felt his life fading from his body, Emilia giggled again and leaned in. The final thing he experienced was the taste of a Kiss of **Death**.

* * *

When Ryu's eyes snapped open, he felt… disturbed. Greatly so. When he turned to look at Emilia, his mind shifted to the memory of the previous timeline. "I can't… let that happen again… I have to stay with you…" Ryu now had three goals. Save the Sanctuary, save the mansion, and save Emilia. And he would do anything to get there.

Yet again, it was a matter of following a script, but now he had even more information. That being the fact that Roswaal was a lying, manipulative bastard that _knew_ of his looping, though he was unsure of how he did it. Ryu eventually made his way back to the Tomb, staring up at it. "I need to talk to you again, Dona… here I come!" He declared as he walked into the Tomb. "Dona! I'm here to bargain everything!" Ryu's eyes then widened as he felt something overwhelm his senses and put him to sleep.

" _Behold an unthinkable present."_

A blizzard rampaged around Ryu, as he was forced to watch a scene from above without a body. ' _What is this…'_ Ryu thought in confusion, as his eyes landed on the gigantic form of Puck, the Beast of the End empowered by his offered Soul. ' _Is this… the timeline after Rem's death?'_

"So, it is you…" Puck's eerie voice said, as he faced down the Sword Saint Reinhard van Astrea. His fur was coated in patches of black, giving him a peculiar pattern as his eyes were colored a deep gold.

"Emilia-sama and Ryu-sama are both gone now, aren't they?" Reinhard asked the rampaging beast, his hair blowing in the intense blizzard.

"Lia is asleep, forever. Ryu is apart of me now," Puck replied. "I have decided to take up his final wish and execute the Witch Cult personally on my quest to destroy the world."

"So, that's why you're doing all of this?" Reinhard asked, as his blue eyes narrowed, with him drawing his Dragon Sword and preparing it as it began to glow brightly. "I am going to stop you from causing further harm. If you must resent someone, resent me."

"You are a fool if you think you can beat me now, Reinhard van Astrea," Puck said, as black wings made out of the viscous liquid of Hate formed from his back. "Long ago, you might have been able to beat me, but now I have the power of a human's soul and the essence of a Primordial Darkness within me. I am superior to you."

It was just then that Reinhard realized his connection to Od Laguna had been severed somehow, as if the source of existence had been cut off. His eyes widened, as every blessing in his arsenal was destroyed, meaning he couldn't wield Reid as the Sword Saint anymore. Puck raised his paw, thanking the power of Hate for destroying Od Laguna, and crushed Reinhard beneath his paw. "...I would have been unable to do this without you, Hate. Thank you for allowing me to continue Ryu's wish."

" _ **We have a common goal. Destruction. We are now unstoppable, young Spirit. Let us get our revenge."**_ Ryu heard, as the world cut off there.

Ryu's eyes widened as he awoke back in the Tomb, now witnessing the dark reality, the dark truth of the timelines before that Austin wiped out. They weren't immediately destroyed, for either moments, minutes, or possibly even hours; they existed. He shivered, not knowing what to do as he realized the possibilities of this conclusion. How many worlds, how many lives were snuffed out alongside his own?

" _Behold an unthinkable present."_

Ryu lost consciousness quickly as he fell over again.

* * *

"Ah… this was a fun experience, I suppose." Elsa Granhiert smiled to herself as she jumped back from Ryu's corpse, with an angered Reinhard van Astrea and Emilia turning to her as they both prepared to fight back. "Oh? The fun isn't over, thank you for reminding me of that. I have one last target to acquire…" Elsa's sadistic gaze shifted to Emilia before she noticed Ryu's body slowly reabsorbing the blood and black liquid that was once oozing from his wound. The wound closed up as the black substance covered it, with the corpse slowly standing up and getting to its feet. Ryu's body was eventually covered, soaked in Hate essence. This... monstrous abomination took the form of a tall ink-black humanoid abomination, partly melted almost like an amalgamate, glowing with the magic of the traits Ryu had at the time of his death (which was currently just Determination and Justice, red and yellow) underneath its 'skin'. It also had a demonic and outright frightening smile on his face. The monstrous being looked at Reinhard with its smile. This was something inhuman, unholy. It shifted its gaze to Elsa, as it then smiled wider… and roared loudly, sending shivers of terror down even Reinhard's back as he was paralyzed in fear.

Eventually, Reinhard got over his feelings and charged right at the beast, ignoring Elsa in favor of this monster that took over his new friend's body. He found that Reid was responsive to him and drew it, attacking his foe, but it stretched out a clawed hand and caught the sword in its hands; grinning at him maliciously as he refused to let go. Hate then brought back his other clawed hand, and-

" _Behold an unthinkable present."_

* * *

The images grew worse, as Ryu was forced to see the side-effects of the timelines where he died and his choices. How Austin killed every one of his friends in the other timelines. Their brutal deaths. His brutal deaths, being stomped on by the Brown Leviathan, being eaten alive by the rabbits, the _kiss of death_.

Ryu's mind felt like it was about to shatter. He laughed to himself as he eventually woke up from the infinite nightmare of destruction and bloodshed, his laughter giving way to tears and then moments later fury as he began to pound his fists against the floor, cracking it beneath him as tears fell from his eyes. "Can you no longer stand, Ryu-kun?" Ryu heard a familiar voice say as his eyes widened, slowly looking up to see the blue-haired Oni girl who had stolen his heart standing before him, her eyes filled with concern and love. His tears filled his eyes, blinding him as he saw this as a miracle.

"Rem? You're here?" Ryu tried to get up, but Rem knelt before him and shushed him.

"It's okay, Ryu-kun. I'm here," Rem said in a soothing tone. "Your very own, all-purpose, ever-useful maid. I'm never leaving you, Ryu-kun." She reached over and touched his cheek with a gentle touch, caressing him as he instinctively leaned into the touch of his love, his savior. "You're tired, aren't you, Ryu-kun?"

"Maybe… I'm unsure… I just feel so weak without you," Ryu said as he bit his tongue. "I felt lost… even though I was determined to get you back, I didn't feel as strong anymore once the rage faded…"

"It's okay, Ryu-kun. Everything is fine. Leave the rest to me. You can rest easy now," Rem said, as she smiled at him and leaned closer, gently bumping her head against his. "You've fought for so long, but never got a real chance to rest, did you? You've suffered all alone, all this time. But you don't need to anymore. I'm here now, so don't despair." She grabbed his face, as he was made to look directly at her. "Just sleep now, my hero." She leaned in, as Ryu felt something was off in his semi-damaged state. But what was it? His Rem was here. He could rest… right?

" _It's easy to give up… but it doesn't suit you."_

Ryu's eyes lit up with color as he snapped out of it, noticing 'Rem' wasn't as she seemed. Her soul was green, Kindness, just like Rem's, but it was on a different 'wavelength'. He only knew one woman with this specific wavelength… that also had a Corruption fragment attached to her. "Carmila… stop lying to me… stop lying to yourself," Ryu said as 'Rem' flinched back.

"R-Ryu-kun? What brought this on?" 'Rem' asked in surprise and hurt, as Ryu's eyes narrowed.

"A long time ago, the real Rem gave me the Determination to keep going by giving me love I haven't felt in… so long. She became my new anchor, my new source of strength," Ryu glared up at 'Rem', or as he knew it, Carmilla the Witch of Lust; with anger in his eyes. "She wouldn't tell me to just give up and leave everything to her. Even in the situation she wanted something _remotely_ close to that, I know she'd just ask me to allow her to fight alongside me, not to just give up! So stop impersonating her, Carmilla!"

"...A-ah… I see I've been caught…" Everything around him and Carmilla began to warp as he was finally able to see through her 'Faceless Bride'. "H-hello, Ryu… please don't be angry with me…" Carmilla said as she stuttered in fear, with Ryu sighing once he had gotten over his outrage over Carmilla impersonating Rem.

"Nah, I'm not too mad with you. Pretty sure you had a good reason to use Faceless Bride," Ryu said as he crossed his arms over his chest, a bored look on his face. He closed his eyes and thought to himself for a moment before he opened his eyes again. "Now I think of it, you _did_ just save me from having an existential breakdown that could have ended the world… so good job, Carmilla."

"A-ah, t-thank you, Ryu-kun," Carmilla sighed in relief once she realized her old friend wasn't angry with her.

"So, is this part of Echidna's weird-ass plot?" Ryu asked as he looked around the Tomb, waiting for the Witch of Greed to make her entrance somewhere.

"You catch on quickly, Ryu-kun," He heard Echidna say behind him as he turned around to see the world warp back to the tea party. "I knew letting you see whatever you wanted through Carmilla would keep your mind from fragmenting, so coupling that with my knowledge that you are mildly resistant to the Authorities of the other Witches, and it seemed like a solid plan. You had an extremely low chance of somehow dying from close contact to Carmilla." Echidna smirked down at him, as Ryu sighed and walked up to the table. "I didn't expect to wear you out in the second trial so much, so I do feel a bit guilty…"

"It's fine, Dona. You showed enough concern to send Carmilla my way to calm me down, so all is forgiven." Ryu shrugged boredly, grabbing the cup of Dona Tea and peering down at it momentarily before shrugging again and downing the liquid. He still couldn't find it in him to care about the 'consuming bodily fluids' stuff, so he was still yet to be fazed. "So, that trial…"

"It was a simulated unreality created by your memories," Echidna explained. "Though it seems to be a _former_ reality, as those worlds existed before the _thing_ in you rampaged." Her eyes then narrowed. "But I didn't expect for The Darkness to be apart of you, Ryu-kun. The destroyer of worlds."

"Hate has been apart of me since I arrived here in Lugunica, Dona," Ryu shrugged as he put down the empty cup of tea. "I don't know what else to tell you." His eyes then narrowed. "But I want to know, why are you insistent on helping me? This is too much to just be you being 'nice', especially with your current state. You have another motive."

"Oh, Ryu-kun, it's awfully mean of you to just ask a girl to spell it out for you," Echidna said in faux embarrassment, before she smiled in his direction. "Ryutensei, son of Shinra Shock and Emily Henderson, how would you like to form a contract with me?"

"A contract, huh?" His eyes narrowed. "And what would that entail, Dona?"

"It's very simple," Echidna said. "From now on, whenever you run into an obstacle you can't overcome, when you feel like you're being crushed by the weight of your sins, I will give you my support. I'm confident in the amount of knowledge I have to offer you, Ryu-kun. I should be able to come up with a solution to any problem you come upon. And most of all, I can get a share in your Determination and its Reset abilities."

"Is that really it? You keep listing things that can assist me, that are beneficial on my end, but nothing that would interest you." Ryu asked in a mistrusting tone. "If you were the old Dona, the one from 400 years ago, I would have accepted this contract without a thought. But you aren't her. So, please, explain."

"I'm genuinely trying to look out for you here, Ryu-kun! Don't you believe me?" Echidna pouted, as Ryu's eyes flashed two different shades of blue.

"You're telling a half-truth, Dona. You might care, but you still do have an alternative motive for this contract." Ryu muttered as Echidna shrugged with a smile, having been caught. But still… if Echidna was even half-serious about this, about her offer… if there really was a part of her that wanted to help and support him in his journeys… could he deny her? "It might not be that bad of an idea though…"

"Meaning?!" Echidna practically jumped out of her chair in excitement, knocking it over as she leaned over in his direction, her black eyes shining with anticipation. She then realized her blunder and tried to play it off. "I-I mean… right… If you absolutely insist, I don't mind entering a contract with you, Ryu-kun…"

"Don't try to act like that didn't just happen," Ryu deadpanned in Echidna's direction, unimpressed with the Witch of Greed, who just laughed nervously in response. Ryu then sighed. "How is this contract even formed?"

"To establish a formal contract, you and I need to form a bond between our souls," Echidna explained as Ryu deadpanned further.

"Isn't that just basically the same terms as Soul-based Marriage contracts?" He said as Echidna looked away, unable to look at Ryu since he was sort of right on that end.

"W-well, yes, you're right I suppose!" Echidna then walked over to him and pointed her hand outward. "Regardless, we must first raise our palms to each other, like this." Ryu was about to follow suit, but an explosion of dust and hearts caused him to look the other way as Minerva made her explosive appearance.

"I'm gonna have to put an end to that contract!" Minerva angrily said, more furious than Ryu had ever seen her before.

"Wait, 'Nerva? How are you here? Didn't Echid-" Ryu's eyes widened as he realized Echidna was _lying_ about the one Witch at a time thing.

"So you're after him too, hm?" Echidna calmly smiled. "I suppose you're just jealous."

"Stop teasing me! I'm outraged! I'm indignant!" Minerva clenched her fists in fury. "I'm absolutely boiling with anger! How can you so casually lie to a friend of ours, Echidna? You really are still a bad-natured jerk!"

"Echidna, you lied to me," Ryu growled out, as he shifted his gaze to the Witch of Greed. After all that he had done, after pouring his heart and his pain to Echidna, this betrayal stung more than any wound or death.

"Well, I didn't want to just keep popping Witches into existence, or let one of them take you from me." Echidna shrugged, still unfazed by the appearance of Minerva.

"You need to stop being taken in by her smooth words, Ryu-kun!" Minerva shouted. "It pisses me off! Besides, she hasn't even told you about the parts of the contract… would be… bad for you!" With each pause she stomped her feet against the floor, an explosion following each stomp.

"So, there was something up with that contract," Ryu said, his mistrust of Echidna only growing by the moment. Perhaps Minerva was right, and in his hopes to have his old friend back, he had pushed himself to believe she was still the same kind girl who wanted to save the world.

"There was a little extra clause of payment, I suppose, that I forgot to mention," Echidna admitted. "But calling it 'bad' is a little bit of an exaggeration in my opinion."

"And what would that payment even be?" Ryu asked, a more serious/angry look entering his eyes.

"It's very simple," Echidna began. "Everything you feel, everything you think, everything that remains in your heart… the future as you know it, anything you accomplish, all the potential in you, all fruit of the known borne of your existence… I want a taste of it." Ryu blinked. Oh. That didn't seem _tooo_ bad, he supposed.

"Th-that's all true…" He heard Carmilla's voice say, as he shifted his gaze to see the Witch of Lust standing behind him. "B-but don't assume she just t-told you everything."

"Carmilla? You're here too?" Ryu muttered as he felt like there was seriously a conspiracy going on in regards to Echidna.

"E-Echidna-chan isn't lying… b-but there's a lot she's hiding from you…" Carmilla elaborated the pink-haired Witch stuttering in fear of angering someone.

"Don't bother listening to these two, Ryu-kun," Echidna said as she moved over to block his vision, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Once you have forged the contract with me, I will, without fail, guide you to the future you desire."

"This wouldn't be the promise you always precede with 'in the end...', would it?" Another voice said as Ryu looked over to see a woman lying down on the broken floor, an aura of laziness, of sloth, surrounding her. Sekhmet, Witch of Sloth and someone he gave the Authority of Sloth to back in the day to support her languid lifestyle. She sighed heavily. "So… you made it here… It's been a long time since I've seen you… then again, you aren't truly Flugel. Just the origin of his soul and personality..."

"Sekhmet…" Ryu's eyes narrowed further as he stepped back from Echidna, looking at her in suspicion. "Your promises are starting to seem a bit flimsy, Echidna, sorry to say. You're suggesting I use Reset willy-nilly, right? You do realize that will cause errors and glitches, unforeseen consequences and changes."

"You nailed it on the head, Rai-yu!" Ryu felt Typhon jump onto his back as she appeared, a wide grin on her face. "Hey, now we're all together, we can play tag later!"

Ryu couldn't help but smile at Typhon as he reached over and patted her head. "Sure, Starlight. Why not."

"My, my, it's been so long since we've had a proper Tea Party," Ryu heard Daphne say as she walked onto the scene with her Centipede Coffin. "You should have invited me sooner!"

"Okay, this is getting kinda weird. As happy as I am to see you all again, and I _am_ happy," Ryu stressed that part of his sentence as he looked around. "Why are you all here?"

"I believe I've already told you, Ryu-kun," Sekhmet said as she sighed heavily. "It's the promise that's always preceded by 'in the end'..." She sighed again, as Ryu's gaze shifted over to Echidna, his red eye glowing menacingly.

"You said you would guide me to the future I desire… but I have a feeling you'll only lead me there after I guide you through every possible outcome in existence, am I right?" He asked accusingly, as he hated the idea of having to go through every route and every path, every dialogue option, just to sate Echidna's thirst for knowledge. This wasn't a game, it was reality.

Echidna smiled slightly. "For the purpose of attaining the future you desire, you must learn to accept any sacrifices you make along the way, Ryu-kun. That is a fact of the real world, the real kill-or-be-killed world," Echidna said as Ryu now understood Echidna was just as soulless as Flowey. His perceptions of his old friend were shattered, as the Witch of Greed stood before him. Not Echidna, but the empty vessel of her body. "You need to understand me better, Ryu-kun! Just think about it from my point of view! Your Determination, this power you possess, it's a tremendous and powerful weapon! You do not understand how useful it is! You are able to restart and delete worlds at will, create and destroy entire universes and manipulate the variables of existence at your peak! All so you can reach your goal, your desired future! It's the ultimate power any knowledge seeker could ask for! Of course, I won't force you to Reset! You will use it as you wish to achieve the results you desire, and I will lend you the knowledge you wish to fulfill your wishes. I expect all the results that come about in the process to contribute vastly to the-"

Ryu decided to tune out Echidna's ramblings at some point, seeing she had finally gone off the deep end. ' _She really lost it, damn. I miss the old Dona-chan…'_ Ryu thought to himself boredly.

"I want you to use me to achieve your best possible future too!" Echidna declared once Ryu tuned back in. Looks like she was still going. "My maidenly heart's affections and desire to help you are real." Ryu's eyes flashed a deep blue as he detected no lie in that statement. "I'd be more than content to have you treat me as a convenience. If you want, you may use my body for your comfort! I will gladly offer my very existence to you!" And the rambling continued. Even if she was telling the truth Ryu did not like it when people _rambled_.

" **Ryu, please pay attention,"** Ryu heard from inside of him, the words of Ryushi forcing him to listen to Echidna's rambles again.

"You can save everyone trapped there—the ones you love and all those you care about!" Echidna declared as she raised her hands to the sky. "For that purpose, I want for you to take me, use me, rob me of all the greed you want; so we can take hold of our future! That is all I want from you, desire from you, and all I offer in return! I have told you everything, truly every last detail, with passion… This might be close to love! It's a vow of love! And how will you respond to my love? I want your answer, Ryu-kun! This is one of the answers that will satisfy my curiosity, after all."

…

…

…

Ryu was pretty tempted to ruin all that buildup with a quick 'ya done?', but he didn't feel like being that rude to Echidna after all that he had just learned. A bit of his fire had disappeared, replaced by general annoyance. "You're going to use me."

"I am." Echidna nodded. "And you can do the same to me. That's what the contract is for. If you want to criticize me for using it as a means to keep you as my own, I'll accept any criticisms. It's the truth, after all."

"...I blinded myself… gave myself unrealistic expectations of what you would be like. You aren't really the Echidna I once knew, the one who I used to share knowledge with," Ryu grit his teeth, hate and rage directed towards himself becoming visible as a red-black aura surrounded him, with Typhon jumping off of his back immediately. The winds began to pick up slightly, as his hateful aura caused his hair to blow upwards slightly, giving him a devilish look as both of his eyes were now red with black sclerae. "You aren't the Echidna I know. You are a fake, hollow shell of the woman I once cared for. You're just the damn Witch of Greed! Everything about you is fake, all in efforts to use people to get what you want, to _learn_ what you want with no regard for those you hurt in the process!" The winds around the plains began to pick up as a storm formed overhead. Echidna's eyes widened, not expecting Ryu's rage to affect her own little universe this much. Was this the power of Ryu's Determination? "You're just as bad as-"

" _Calm down, love."_ Ryu heard as his eyes widened.

"She's here," Minerva said, as the floor beneath them darkened further.

"N-No!" Carmilla tried hiding herself as she was now terrified of the current situation. "I have nothing to do with this!"

"A really troublesome girl just showed up at a troubling time to start some trouble…" Sekhmet sighed tiredly.

"Oh? I'm feeling very, very hungry now!" Daphne grinned widely.

Ryu shifted his gaze behind him, as Typhon waved in the direction of an approaching shadow. "Hey! It's Tella! Now Rai-yu and Tella can reunite!" Typhon cheered in childish joy, with Ryu feeling dread creep down his back. Not that he wasn't happy to see Satella… but he was just not ready to face her, not yet. He still hated himself for being unable to save her back then. But there was nothing he could do. _Satella was already here._

* * *

"You made it past all those barriers to make it to the castle of dreams?" Echidna asked Satella as she crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance. "Talk about rude."

Ryu watched as his love, his first love, the one he had betrayed, the one he had hurt, the one he had failed to protect; walked in his direction silently. "Why… why are you here?" He managed to ask, as he felt like he was choking on his own guilt to see Satella not once but twice in what was basically the same day.

"For so long…" Satella said as she stretched her arms out as if to embrace him. "For so very long, I have loved you… and no one else."

"Stop it!" Ryu stumbled back, as he still saw himself unworthy of Satella's love and trust after what he did. He saw himself as a failure, and he didn't understand how or why she still loved him. "You're making no sense, 'Tella!"

"Calm down," Satella said in her gentle voice, every syllable of the words directed at him soaked in _love_. So much love it made Ryu feel sick, as he rejected the idea of being worthy of her forgiveness, let alone her love. "You're going to hurt yourself, Ryu-kun…"

"Stop it, stop it, stop it! Stop caring about me!" The winds picked up again as thunder rumbled above, black lightning crackling up in the heavy cloud cover up above. "I don't deserve any of this! I need to just get back and-"

"And then what? You'll keep dying, starting over, leaving more and more timelines to be destroyed?" Minerva asked him, as she glared in his direction, causing Ryu to pause as a panicked look settled on Ryu's face. He was too stressed out for this. "Must be nice to be you. No matter how anyone else feels, no matter how you feel, you can numb yourself to be unsympathetic. How do you think she feels? You're being ungrateful to her, y'know?" Minerva shifted her gaze to Satella as Ryu felt the pressure of his hate for his weakness, for being unable to help Satella in the past, build up again.

"Unsympathetic? Ungrateful?" Ryu felt his heart beat irregularly, shifting from a steady normal beat to an unstable, constantly changing beat that brought pain to every inch of his body. "You have no idea how I feel right now, 'Nerva." He grinned slightly, as his aura grew in intensity. "I _hate_ myself for being unable to do anything, for being too weak to save the ones that I swore to protect. For being unable to help Satella. Do you think I don't _care_? I _tried_ that! But no matter what I do, someone comes along and makes me care again!"

"...urt…" Satella muttered, as Ryu looked up at her with confusion in his darkened eyes. "Don't be hurt. Don't suffer. Don't be sad. So… love…"

"I don't get that! I sealed you away! I doomed you to be seen as a monster for the past 400 years! I have done nothing to warrant you still loving me!" Ryu snapped confusion and fury in his eyes. "Why the hell do you love me?!"

"No," Satella said, with Ryu pausing as he stared at his love. "Love yourself more." Ryu was almost sure he felt a part of his soul crack as he heard that. "Don't be hurt. Don't grieve. Treasure yourself more."

"Why… why are you doing this…?" Ryu croaked, as he felt completely vulnerable in Satella's presence.

"I love you. So I want you to love yourself and protect yourself," Satella softly said. "I don't want you to hate. To rely on Hate. To lose yourself to your darkness. You're stronger than that."

"You say that but I'm not strong." Ryu grit his teeth. "It's because of me that my family was killed. It was because of me that Rem is gone. If I was just a bit smarter, if I just defended her… if she didn't exhaust her mana…" He could have saved her, if he wasn't such an idiot. "I'm not strong! I'm just a weakling who was given a blessing he didn't deserve, a soul he didn't earn, and powers he stole from his brother! I don't deserve any of this! Blaze would have been better off as the Soul of Peace! I can't protect or save anyone! I'm just a fraud!" Ryu fell to his knees as he began to cry, hiding his face in his hands, feeling not just weak and horrible… but he felt like he didn't deserve to exist.

"Look at you… forced to grow up with the deaths of his parents, collapsing under the weight of all this repressed trauma. Your inner child, the part of you that never grew up, seems to have finally come up," Sekhmet commented, as Typhon walked over to Ryu with concern in her eyes.

"Nii-san, you're crying?" She asked, as she softly stroked her brother's hair. "Look at you… finally breaking down… you poor thing…" Typhon's concern then swiftly turned to the fury of a little sister as her eyes began to glow, a faint red and yellow aura surrounding her. "So who… made you cry?" All the Witches didn't dare move an inch, as they recognized that right now, an angry Typhon was easily one of the most dangerous things to trigger. Especially now she was protecting her 'older brother'.

However, Satella was unfazed as she walked forward, with Typhon stepping to the side for her as she knelt in front of Ryu. "I love you." Satella gently said. "Because you gave me everything. That's why I…"

" **JUST STOP!"** Ryu finally snapped, as hundreds of black lightning bolts scoured the area and destroyed Echidna's realm further, reminding most of the Witches of Ryu's power and who they were dealing with. Ryu then felt something go wrong as his body clenched up as if his heart was giving out. He leaned over as he coughed up blood, feeling the strange out-of-sync beat of his heart hard to manage in his current state. Was it because he had abused too much magic at once with his fury? He supposed it worked in his favor somewhat. Ryu's eyes widened as he felt his heart give out under all the pressure, his soul slowly cracking as he died.

"His heart… I have to heal him!" Minerva rushed in in an attempt to heal whatever was causing Ryu to die, having a feeling it was linked to the Black Storm. Typhon, however, jumped in front of her as she blocked the girl from nearing him. The young girl was knocked away, as Minerva's fist shattered as a side-effect of Typhon's Authority. "Out of the way, Typhon!"

"Ryu didn't ask for healing! He's still alive, he could ask if he wanted to!" Typhon replied with tears in her eyes. "He's made his choice! You need to stay out of the way, 'Nerva!" Was… Typhon defending him? Defending his selfish choice?

"I will not allow a friend of mine to die in my presence!" Minerva furiously shouted, her one remaining fist clenched tightly. Sekhmet sighed as she used her own Authority to incapacitate Minerva, pushing her into the floor. "S-Sekhmet?"

"I'm on Typhon's side when it comes to this," Sekhmet said eventually, though she seemed to not really want to talk, per usual. "He is still conscious and should be able to ask us for healing if he really wishes it."

Satella fell to her hands and knees in front of Ryu, tears forming in her eyes as she stared at the dying form of Ryu. "Ryu-kun, you did that on purpose, didn't you?" In a sense, he did. "Why haven't you realized you should be on the list of people you want to save? It should be so obvious…"

Why should he save himself? He was a fraud, who got his friends labeled as evil Witches and couldn't save anyone he cared about. "Ryu-kun… what happened to you? What did you see in those past trials?"

* * *

"Live your life to the fullest, and I'll be happy."

"I'll always love you, _oi_."

"Go forward, never stop pushing yourself and **Stay Determined**."

"Reach for the stars, and then go further. Okay?"

"Hey, brother… take care of yourself while we're gone, okay?"

"I love you, Ryu."

_These voices…_

_Why were they encouraging him so much?_

"You're not that bad... for a human!"

"I admire you, Ryu. You've done so much more than me in one timeline than I have in hundreds of thousands of Resets. You're pretty cool!"

"Well, some humans are OK, I guess!"

"No! That's not true! My friends like me! And I like you, too!"

"Your fate is up to you now!"

"You are our future!"

"NO! WAIT! YOU'RE MY FRIEND! I COULD NEVER CAPTURE YOU!"

"nah, i'm rooting for ya, kid."

"Ha.. ha… I don't want to let go."

"Ryu… you're… you're going to do a great job, OK brother? No matter what you do. Everyone will be there for you, okay?"

"Show me how awesome you can be, Ryu-kun!"

"Thank you, Ryu! For saving me!"

_These voices… why…_

' _...I don't want to die… I want to live… for them…'_

"SEE?! THAT'S HOW YOU REALLY FEEL!" Ryu was brought back to his senses, to reality, by a healing headbutt from Minerva. He was knocked back onto his bottom as he eventually raised his hand to his chest and noticing the pain of his heart had now faded. He breathed heavily, as he tried to adjust to the feeling of being 'alive' again. As he calmed down, the thunderstorm above faded away, leaving blue skies with white fluffy clouds behind. The normal status of Echidna's dream world.

"What… can I even do… if I can't save anyone?" Ryu muttered to himself, as he tried to register all the voices he had heard and tried to apply a face to them. A person. His aunt Rin, his father, his mother, his brother...

Chara, Frisk, Undyne, Alphys, Toriel, Asgore, Papyrus, Sans… Asriel.

Rem and Emilia.

They all believed in him and encouraged him to continue forward, they all cared about him. How did… how did he forget about that? "Can I really believe that… I can be…"

"I allow it," Satella's voice said from next to him, as he sat up to face her. "You are the one who saved me and so many others, so I will allow for you to be saved too. It is my wish for you to be saved." Through Satella's shadowy veil, Ryu was able to see Satella's tears as his own eyes filled with tears, unable to comprehend the amount of people who believed in him, cared about him, and loved him despite all of his flaws. His arrogance, his stupidity, everything. They all accepted him for what he was. He found himself shivering in emotion, as his soul slowly repaired itself on its own.

"Minerva aside, I'm surprised how you two have acted," Echidna said as she turned to Sekhmet and Daphne, the latter restraining Typhon with her Centipede Coffin.

"Stay out of this, Daph!" Typhon whined as she tried to escape Daphne's grasp.

"Well, Ryu made some pretty big boasts, so I want to see him go through with them." Daphne smiled knowingly.

"An intriguing thought," Echidna hummed as she turned to Carmilla. "And you were the one to call him back from the brink of death, weren't you Carmilla? You even used Faceless Bride, what for?"

"N-no reason…" Carmilla muttered as she covered her face with her scarf to hide herself, as well as her faint blush. "I just think t-that love is important. I wanted to r-remind him of the ones who cared about him. I would hate to see love taken and then swiftly forgotten."

"Sekhmet and Typhon respected his wishes…" Echidna began as she looked around at her fellow Witches and the former Sage who sat before her. "And Minerva healed him. Daphne helped prolong his life and kept his soul from shattering, and Carmilla reminded him of love he had forgotten. While each of you may have your own reasons, it seems you all wish to genuinely want to help Ryutensei." Eventually, Echidna smiled. Not one of her typical smiles, but a real, genuine one with actual emotion behind it. "It seems we are all in unison on this wish, to support our friend."

Ryu scoffed slightly as he looked over in Echidna's direction. "If you're gonna say this was a test, forget that." He almost felt like swearing but Typhon and Daphne were here and he was not going to be a bad older brother. "Your tests, per usual, are stupid as hell. But not 'risking my life' stupid. Just admit you wanted me to accept the contract and everything spiraled out of your control."

"Okay, fine, I relent," Echidna sighed. "You are right, I lost control of the situation rapidly."

"That's right." Ryu eventually smiled as he stood up. "I still don't really understand what I'm meant to do at this point since my original plans have been derailed."

"Then let me ask you this, Ryu-kun," Echidna walked over to him, her black eyes staring into Ryu's solid red and gold. His expression was more resolute, more determined, and unmoving than ever. But even still, Echidna tried. "If I lend you my assistance, you can be assured that you will arrive at a future in which you save those you want to save. If you don't know what you should do, would you extend your hand out to me? I can promise you I can lead you to the future you desire, without fail." She stuck her hand out to him. "You have my word."

"Echidna… I can't take your offer," Ryu shook his head solemnly, as Echidna sighed and brought her hand back.

"I thought as such…" She muttered. But Ryu wasn't done.

"But I'm not going to reject the chance to take your hand into my own, as that links to my new plan." Ryu's eyes hardened as Echidna looked at him in surprise. "I'm going to take not just your hand, but the hands of everyone here as I SAVE you all and take you with me to the future ahead." That successfully caught the attention of all 7 Witches, as they all looked at him in surprise. "I will SAVE you all, that's my promise! Because you all are my friends, my family! I will revive you all, and I'll fix everything! That's my oath! On my love for you all!"

Eventually, Echidna giggled softly, as Ryu smirked, recognizing that the old Echidna was now resurfacing in reaction to his willpower. Her giggles then turned into full-blown genuine laughter, as she leaned on him for a while and then looked up at him with a challenging look in her eyes. "I look forward to seeing you pull off that feat, Ryu-kun. In fact," She smirked as well. "I think I can speak for all the Witches as I say we all do."

"I can't wait to show you that the world isn't as bad as you believe it to be, Dona," Ryu replied, as Echidna slowly got off of him and took a few steps back.

"I have one thing to say to you, Ryu-kun. That poor, young Garfiel fears the outside world," Echidna said. "If you want to free him, you must break him out of that spell. I hope my trust in you is not misplaced when I say I believe you can manage to pull this off without a single death."

"It isn't, don't worry," Ryu replied, as he looked at the rest of the Witches. "I'm only starting to remember fragments and pieces of my memories, and of how I'm linked to you. But I can feel it in my soul, the bonds we used to have in my time as Flugel are still strong. You care about me, and I care about you. That's why I'm so determined to save you all. I'm truly a selfish man, aren't I?" He smiled sadly, as he then bowed his head. "Thank you for everything. For letting me die. For letting me live. For letting me hear the precious voices of those I had forgotten in my self-hatred. I thank you from the very bottom of my heart, for still believing in me." He then walked over to Satella, as he reached his hand out to her. She eventually took it, as Ryu tightly hugged the half-elf girl, not wanting to let go of her as he had forgotten how soothing her embrace was to him. "Most of all, thank you, Satella. For never giving up on me, even when I gave up. That power from a long time ago, when I lost my Determination… it was you, wasn't it?"

Satella smiled, hugging back her love and enjoying the embrace she had missed for so long. "Yes, it was. I couldn't bear to lose you."

"Thank you, Satella," Ryu replied, as he eventually released her from the embrace and stared past the shadowy veil, now truly able to see his old love's face. He gently grasped her chin with his hand and leaned in, as did Satella out of instinct. Ryu's determination was ignited like an old flame being given firewood after so long, now brighter and stronger than ever, as he drew back from the kiss. "I still love you."

"As do I, Ryu-kun," Satella said, tears of happiness running down her face. Ryu reached over and wiped them away, as Ryu eventually looked up at the other Witches, a visible aura of crimson power surrounding him. It wasn't faint, it was clearly visible and _potent_.

"I can handle things from here on, everyone. Thank you, again, for everything," Ryu said, as he noticed the world around him shattering. "I made a lot of promises to you guys in the past, haven't I? I swear on my Determination, I'll do everything I said back then. I'll do my best to redeem myself for being an idiot. I'll bring you all back and take whatever punishment the world gives me for creating the Authorities out of Corruption. But most of all, I promise to take back the Authorities, so you never need to hurt again. So no one ever hurts again."

"Ryu, don't fret all alone," He heard Satella say. "Fight alongside the people who care about you. Don't forget that there are people who care about you, who grieve when you die." Ryu began to notice everyone fading as they either waved or smiled in his direction. Only Satella remained of the group, as he held her hand. "And one day… you must come… to kill me."

"No," Ryu said in a firm tone. "I refuse to let that be how the tale ends. I swear, Moonlight. _I'm going to_ _ **save**_ _you_."

Nothing mattered to Ryu but that one selfish wish. To save everyone and anyone he could. The world wasn't cruel, it wasn't kill or be killed. It just needed a guiding hand. And he would be that hand. He was beyond Determined to do so.

_*** Determination maxed out.** _

_*** Advanced Ability - "SAVE" Unlocked** _

_*** Authority of Gluttony - "Feast" Obtained** _

_*** Authority of Sloth - "Void Claw" Obtained** _

_*** Authority of Greed - "Immutable Love" Accessible** _

_*** SAVE Updated.** _

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 4, Chapter 2 - DETERMINED To SAVE You (** _ _**あなたを救うために決定** _ _**) [Part 2]** _


	13. One in A Million Bet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryu confronts Roswaal and resolves himself to help/save his first friend in Lugunica, Emilia.

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 4 (Heroism), Chapter 3 - One in A Million Bet (100** _ _**万人に一人 ベット** _ _**)** _

_**Next Arc: Arc 5 [Delusions of a Determined Prince] in ? chapters.** _

* * *

From the confines of Ryu's soulscape, Austin smiled. The Eldritch, ancient being genuinely _smiled_ as he noticed a marking appear on Ryu's soul. A dark red lightning bolt-like sigil, carved directly into his soul and overloading it with Determination. But not to a lethal extent. It _empowered_ him, and Austin could only feel happiness for his host. " _ **Honestly, it took him long enough."**_

" **I knew he'd be able to pull it off, though. If it would be anyone, it'd be our Ryu to become this Determined."** Ryushi grinned, sitting on the being's back, as Austin had taken the form of a large black dragon-like lizard. " **How long 'til we tell him about their soul fragments?"**

" _ **You mean the ones of his deceased Underground family?"**_ Austin grumbled, as Ryushi nodded excitably. " _ **Soon enough. Just lemme find the perfect time to do it."**_

" **Righty-o, then!"** Ryushi cheerfully said, before he calmly smiled. " **I'm proud of him, y'know? He's destined for great things."**

" _ **Considering he is you, that's borderline narcissism,"**_ Austin teased lightly. " _ **But I do agree. He's grown, and his Determination reflects it. I cannot wait until he grasps his fate and claims it as his own."**_

* * *

" _I see," Roswaal sighed in disappointment. "Your resolve is strong, yet soooo misplaced." The clown-like man waved a hand over his face, his makeup instantly disappearing as he did so._

" _I'm sure you've faced many of the problems that lie here in this Sanctuary, and outside as well." Roswaal continued as Ryu's face was covered by his hair, especially his left eye. "The order to have assassins attack the mansion… came from me, personally. You will soon be forced to make a decision, on what is important to you. Once you make that decision, you will be unable to take it back. I will mold you to become a perfect being that can only save one and no others."_

Like hell. Ryu refused to give in to that insane man's delusions. ' _Roswaal thinks that just because he's got a Tome of Wisdom, he can do whatever the fuck he wants, huh? That he's some sort of protagonist? Fuck that.'_ Ryu sighed as he trailed a hand over his face, walking throughout the forests of the Sanctuary to get some necessary air. To get away from Roswaal, the man who had changed so much from what he remembered in his memories. Roswaal A. Mathers and Roswaal L. Mathers were like two different people entirely, even though Ryu now knew they were one-and-the-same.

"Ryu-sama?" He heard a familiar voice inquisitively say as he turned around to face a particular Merchant-turned-Assistant. Otto smiled at him, standing a few feet away as he leaned against a tree. "I had a faint feeling you'd come here after Patrasche and I got you out of that tomb. You like peace and quiet, after all."

"She's doing alright, I hope?" Ryu asked, as Otto nodded in confirmation, relieving Ryu of his worries. Patrasche had gotten herself hurt dragging him out of Echidna's Tomb, and Ryu felt pretty guilty about that. "That's good. I would have had no idea what to do if she was still hurt."

"She's healing up quite nicely, all thanks to your revolutionary idea of merging Healing Magic with food; so don't worry about a thing, Ryu-sama!" Otto said, as he walked over in Ryu's direction. "But that's not why I'm here. I came here to check up on you. Ever since you entered that tomb, you seem…"

"Different? More confident? More… _determined_?" Ryu asked with a knowing glint in his eyes as Otto nodded. "Let's just say I had a realization in there, changed my outlook slightly, but just enough to fundamentally shift my soul."

"Ah, I see. Well, as long as that change turns out to be positive, then everything's good!" Otto laughed slightly, but then stopped as he noticed Ryu's serious expression.

"Otto, you're my friend, and my assistant. I'd like to call in a favor." He said, as Otto nodded, a more firm look in his eyes. His boss's determination was rubbing off on him, it seemed. "I'd like for you to listen to me, give me some advice. Basically, do the job I hired you to do."

Otto smiled, as did Ryu. "I'd be happy to… Ryu." Otto replied kindly, before his eyes widened as he noticed something on Ryu's left eye. Or, more specifically, under his left eye. A red marking, looking like a lightning bolt, extending from the corner of his eye and reaching down his face. Its color was exactly the same as Ryu's red eye, being bright in color and intensity. "Ryu-"

"It's time you learned a bit more about your boss, Otto," Ryu calmly said, unaffected by this as he knew of how he had changed after the Sanctuary's most recent trial.

* * *

"Alright, Roswaal, you creepy fuck!" Ryu called out as he slammed down the door to Roswaal's room down, with the margrave looking up at him, very startled by the sudden and loud entrance. "I propose a bet! Our hopes and dreams, our very futures, will be our chips!"

"...Your resolve ever grows more and more grating, Ryu-kun," Roswaal frowned, realizing that now Ryu's determination was directed _against_ him, he was most definitely in danger. "I didn't expect for you to come face me directly… and so soon, at that."

"I'm doing my absolute best to fuck over your plans and go off-charts," Ryu replied with a confident grin. "This will be our final showdown, Margrave. I'm going to save everyone. Emilia, the Sanctuary, the mansion. I'll even find a way to beat the Brown Leviathan one way or another. And not even you will get in my way."

"You truly expect to defeat the Great Scourge?" Roswaal asked in a genuinely confused tone. "You said it yourself, your father was the greatest man in your kingdom, and even he couldn't as much as scratch it."

"I'm not going to let that stop me. One way or another, I will win. I'm determined to do so, and that's it! Nothing's gonna stop me!" Ryu slammed a fist into his open palm, his red eye and his marking glowing. "I'm going to complete my goals, and stop you from completing yours."

"You truly believe you can pull off a feat like that? It's impossi-"

"With that kind of attitude, I suppose I can understand why you think that!" Ryu cut in, as Roswaal seemed to grow more and more annoyed by the minute. Ryu could even see hints of fear, Roswaal feared his determination, and Ryu relished that for a moment. "In my opinion, you can't achieve anything without having the will to do it! And I have the will."

"You would abandon one of your greatest trump cards in a desperate gambit such as this?" Roswaal scoffed.

"No, it's not a desperate gambit," Ryu replied confidently. "My loops aren't the be-all-end-all of abilities. I'm going to beat you, my way, and you're going to be working for _me_. I'm going to be a savior, a hero, _because I want to_. And because I want to, I will. I have to."

" _you're, uh, very determined, aren't you? you'll never give up, even if there's, uh… absolutely no benefit to persevering whatsoever. if i can make that clear. no matter what, you'll just keep going. not out of any desire for good or evil… but just because you think you can. and because you 'can'... you 'have to'."_

Those were the words he heard back then, when he was on his wit's end, fighting an endless fight that killed him over 600 times. The words he heard from Sans as Ryu tried to find a way to get out of a hopeless situation. But now they took a different meaning. Ryu was doing this because he could, yes. But that wasn't the only reason, it was because, in his mind, he was obligated to. As a soul of Peace, a holder of Determination, as the only remains of his world.

He had to save his friends here, because that's what his old family and friends back home would have wanted him to do. He was going to make them proud. Ryu's determination didn't come from a singular being or wish anymore. It came from multiple, from families past and present, and the hopes and dreams he carried.

"What you're suggesting is absurd… what would you even get out of this?" Roswaal snapped, as Ryu calmed down slightly.

"It's self-explanatory, ain't it? I'll handle all the upcoming threats ahead of us, and not only will I get credit for it in the Royal Selection, so will Emilia. I'm just ensuring we get some extra points." Ryu said in a neutral tone. "Not only that, but if… no, _when_ I win, you're going to burn that Tome and your ideals."

"You do realize how _greedy_ you sound, do you not?" Roswaal asked, as Ryu laughed in response.

"I'm a greedy guy, I will admit! I want to help people! I want to shoulder the world's problems, to work on making this world a better place!" Ryu said as he extended his arms outward, taking a pose that was directly inspired by Echidna. "I'm greedy! I'm Determined! I'm unwilling to compromise! I'm unwilling to leave behind any of my friends, to sacrifice anyone! I am… the most Determined Mage in Lugunica! No, _the world_!"

Roswaal stared at Ryu, as he could see a faint silhouette behind him, the figure of a man he once looked up to, smirking just as Ryu was. _Flugel Aicenfall_ , the Sage. Eventually, Roswaal smiled. "I recognize your resolve, Ryu-kun," He began, an unreadable look in his eyes. "But I warn you, you will not be able to break through this. Emilia-sama will be unable to stand, and the barrier will remain unbroken. The Sanctuary will be covered in snow, and the mansion will sink into bloody tragedy. And if what you say is right, the Great Scourge will destroy the capital, if not the entire country of Lugunica."

"Believe what you want, I'll just be happy to see you cry once I ruin your carefully laid out plans," Ryu shrugged, unfazed by his threatening words.

"I see…" Roswaal sighed as he was forced to recognize Ryu's determination wasn't just strong, but unmovable. Stronger than ever before. He doubted there was anything he could do to weaken it now, let alone shatter it. "I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea to lay some groundwork for the next me."

"Alright, I'll take that as an acceptance to the bet!" Ryu grinned widely. "Good to hear, clown! I can finally get started on the actual important shit, then!"

"Ryu-kun," Roswaal interrupted as Ryu was about to leave. "The snow in the Sanctuary and the attack on the mansion begin in three days. And the Great Scourge seems to be a mystery to even you." Ryu was mildly annoyed that Roswaal was able to read that off of his expressions, but didn't let it faze him beyond just annoyance. "Do try your best to fight against them… and fail miserably, won't you?"

"Yeah, yeah, fuck off clown," Ryu waved him off as he left the room, but turned to face him one last time. "By the way, put on the makeup again. Seeing you without it is just wrong, you ain't A. Mathers." Roswaal seemed startled by those words, causing Ryu to grin again. "Plus, I'll need a jester once this is all over."

* * *

"How is your conspiracy going, Otuuyr?" Ram asked him once he had made his way outside, with the Prince smiling in the pink-haired Oni's direction.

"You'll see eventually, no need to say anything." Ryu shrugged, a positive look in his eyes as he said this. "What about you? Have you accepted what Roswaal's doing?"

"There's only one thing I value above all else," Ram said in a stiff tone. "There's no way that will change. Never. So don't bother waiting for me to change my mind."

"Had a feeling you'd say something like that, but it stings nonetheless," Ryu sighed in slight disappointment. Breaking Ram away from Roswaal was going to be a pain in the ass, he just knew it. "Oh well, gotta get over it. I'm sure that eventually, things will change. They always do. It's just how life works."

"Please be quiet, Otuuyr," Ram said, her tone a mix of polite and annoyed. She then paused. "Emilia-sama… you'll be putting your hopes in her hands, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Ryu confirmed. "I'm placing my faith in her, and I'm hoping she does the same. In times like these, we've got to support each other. The world is at its strongest when it's together."

"...Emilia-sama hasn't figured out why she's still struggling," Ram continued as Ryu's eyes gained a faint glint of light, taking note of what was being said. "Until she does, the same thing will just keep happening."

"We've already strayed away from fate on a fundamental level, from what was written in the books," Ryu said as his eyes narrowed slightly. "Roswaal is free now. Everyone is. I'm going to fix things, one way or another."

"...Good luck then, dummy," Ram said, as she closed the door behind her. Ryu eventually sighed. Better than having Ram entirely against him, he supposed.

"That went surprisingly well, Ryu," Otto said as he walked over, throwing some bushy branches to the side. "Perhaps Ram is warming up to you."

"If she heard you say that, she'd get pissed, y'know that right?" Ryu faintly smirked in Otto's direction. "How's the Soul Magic training going for you, Otto? I'll be really needing you to pull off our plan."

"I can summon small weapons," Otto said, as he raised a hand, an ethereal purple clawed gauntlet appearing around it for a few moments before dispersing. "It's not very strong, and it breaks after a while, but…"

"It'll do, Otto. I'm sure we can do this." Ryu put his hand out to his assistant. "I'll be depending on you, alright?"

"You can count on me to do my best, boss," Otto replied, firm resolve in his eyes as he shook Ryu's hand. Ryu wasn't regretting teaching Otto how to use Perseverance magic whatsoever, knowing that Otto would complement his strengths and cover his weaknesses. Determination was the will to keep going, pushing through any obstacle with brute force. But Perseverance was calmer, it took notes and wasn't afraid to stop and assess the situation. That was what Ryu was counting on. Otto's willingness, his instinctual ability to know when to stop and rest, to take a brief pause.

Ryu didn't want to overexert himself or fail, after all. He needed his friends to win, just as he needed them long ago.

"Next would be to deal with Garfiel, right?" Otto asked, as they eventually released the handshake. Ryu frowned slightly.

"That guy really could be a pain, but I think I've got a plan on how to deal with him," Ryu said, as Otto nodded and walked off to continue their work. "Ah, just one thing, Otto. It'd be fine if I went to do something, right?"

"That's fine by me, boss," Otto nodded in his direction. "As your assistant, I approve of whatever you're thinking right now. Just make sure to not go too far off-schedule, alright? I'll continue my part of the plan as discussed."

"Thanks, Otto. Take care of yourself, alright?" Ryu patted the man's shoulder and watched as he walked off before a frown settled on his face. "...I'm not gonna lose to anyone. Watch over me, everyone. I'm going to be a hero."

* * *

"Come on out, Ryuzu! I know you're here," Ryu called out as he leaned against a wall, staring at a large blue crystal. Ryuzu eventually walked out from behind the crystal.

"You talk like someone who knows me remarkably well, Young Ryu," She commented as she turned to face him. Ryu merely smiled in response.

"I suppose you could say I do," He shrugged. "I know just about everything about you, if I'm being honest. I even know of your goal here."

"Then the one who Young Ros was waiting for… was you," Ryuzu muttered.

"Yeah, no, that's all done for," Ryu laughed, finding it amusing to think that he'd actually work with the husk of Roswaal. Ryuzu looked up at him in surprise. "Right now, I'm in a face-off with Roswaal, you could say. An eternal battle. We're on opposing sides. But I genuinely want the best for everyone, so I'll be needing your help."

"Why not use your Authority as an Apostle of Greed to demand me to help you?" Ryuzu asked, causing Ryu's brow to furrow and frown. While it was true he still had the Authority to do so, he didn't want to force others to help him, he wanted it to be genuine.

"I don't want to rely on things that other people have given me. I may be an Apostle of Greed, as you put it, but first and foremost I am me." Ryu said, standing up straight as he stopped leaning against the walls. "I came here to talk to you, to get your real, genuine assistance. Not to force you to help me."

"...Young men are so quick to put up a tough front," Ryuzu said, as Ryu could feel her smile underneath her long cloak. "Tell me, what are you two arguing over?"

"In the simplest terms, the future and freedom of the Sanctuary, and how it will be achieved," Ryu replied as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm kinda unsure if you're okay with its liberation, though."

"Unsure if I'm okay with the liberation of the Sanctuary?" Ryuzu seemed confused, causing Ryu to briefly be confused as well.

"Wait, so you _aren't_ opposed to it?" He cautiously asked, his mind quickly making changes to his plans if necessary. In his mind, this 'bet' with Roswaal was akin to a war, and he refused to lose. Ryuzu silently nodded as Ryu pursed his lips. Well, that certainly changed things. "Well, that's certainly a gamechanger."

Ryuzu sighed softly. "I cannot completely deny your suspicions, however. Tell me, what is your opinion on Young Gar?"

"Garfiel, hm?" Ryu scratched the back of his head as he thought. "I know for sure that there's no way to avoid clashing with him. He's headstrong, hotblooded, and won't listen to anyone." In those regards, Garfiel sort of reminded him of Undyne, who he was only able to befriend after a long hard-fought battle (and a lot of fleeing). "But even still, I'm also sure that once the dust clears, I'll be able to befriend him. After all…" He smiled slightly. "Back home, a lot of my strongest friendships came from fights. But even then, I'd like to learn more about Garfiel to achieve this goal of mine."

"...You are quite good at deceiving and manipulating the elderly, Young Ryu." Ryuzu eventually relented. "You asked her about me, did you not? The Witch?"

"Half that, half… something else." Ryu hummed. "Can't exactly say what for now, but I can say I've been given some beneficial information from a donor." If said donor was his soul transferring memories of his past life to his current mind.

"And if I may ask, who is this donor?" Ryuzu questioned, looking over in his direction with her blue eyes.

"Even if I told you, you'd either just not believe me or get in the way of my plans, sorry Ryuzu." He apologized. "But still, I'd appreciate what you can tell me about Garfiel."

"...Are you aware of Young Gar's family situation?" Ryuzu finally said as she turned around to fully face him. Ryu took a thinking pose, wracking his mind for anything he could about Garfiel.

"I know Frederica is his sister from a different father, and that unlike Garfiel, she has less non-human blood and was able to leave the Sanctuary because of it…" Ryu began before his eyes widened. "There's something more to this story, isn't there?"

"There was another one of us Ryuzu clones, Ryuzu Shima, who violated the contract with the Witch who created us." Ryuzu explained. "She entered the graveyard to bring back Young Gar as he broke the rules and attempted the trial. I haven't seen Shima since she was stripped of her duties, but I wouldn't be surprised if Young Gar has been meeting up with Shima."

"So, you're saying the past Garfiel saw had to do with Frederica's leaving?" Ryu asked, a curious eyebrow raised.

"No," Ryuzu shook her head negative. "What he saw was most likely the moment Young Gar and Fred were left behind by their mother when they left the Sanctuary." Ryu had to suppress a wince as he could vaguely understand that idea. Having a family member suddenly not be apart of someone's life could be traumatic, his old Determination-less days could attest to that.

_I have one thing to say to you, Ryu-kun. That poor, young Garfiel fears the outside world. If you want to free him, you must break him out of that spell._ Echidna's words echoed in Ryu's mind for a moment, as his eyes narrowed slightly. "So, he's against liberating the Sanctuary out of fear, huh?"

"The truth of that would only lie with him and Shima, I'm afraid," Ryuzu replied. Ryu sighed, recognizing that he might have to make some minor changes to the plan on his side. He just hoped Otto didn't run into any problems on their end.

* * *

Emilia.

Helping out his friend was his next goal, and he wasn't going to give up on her. Ryu walked into her room after knocking, a faint smile on his face. He then blinked and looked around the room in confusion before noticing a small bump at the edge of Emilia's bed. One blink of soulsight later, he had confirmed that it was Emilia. "Emi, I know you're there."

"A-ah, Ryu-kun…" Emilia smiled weakly at him as he made his way over, a half-concerned and half-resigned expression on his face.

"Emi, you can't just sit on the floor, that's definitely not comfortable," Ryu sighed as he sat next to her anyway.

"I'm, uh… a restless sleeper," Emilia said, as Ryu's eyes flashed a dull blue, signifying a lie. He also noticed her own eyes flash as well, her own soul reacting to her lie as she sighed. "I'm sorry… I lied. The truth is, I couldn't get any sleep." Emilia then smiled up at him again. "But don't worry, I'm sure I'll be able to get plenty of sleep tonight."

"Yeah, that's not gonna cut it, Emi. I can't have my friend running on fumes all day," Ryu sighed, scanning through his mind for anything that could be useful. He _could_ try to make Sea Tea, that was an effective energy drink. And it wasn't harmful to the body or soul, which was a bonus. He then stood up as he extended his hand out to her, with Emilia taking it with a grateful smile. "I'll cook something up for you to get your energy up."

"That's very kind of you, Ryu-kun, thank you," Emilia said in a soft tone, bringing a smile to Ryu's face.

As they made their way to one of the nearby kitchens, waiting for Ryu's secret Sea Tea blend, the Prince spoke up to try and cut the tension. "Emilia, are you feeling up to telling me about what you saw in the trial?" He asked, his red eye looking over in her direction as he kept most of his focus on the tea. Magical food and brews were sometimes unstable, if he messed something up it could be catastrophic in many ways. He could end up with a poison, or even blow something up. Which would be unpleasant, to say the least. Emilia seemed somewhat frightened, which caused Ryu to try and ease her fears a bit. "I'm not gonna say anything like you telling me is gonna magically make you feel better… but if I know what's up, I can hopefully help you more. Friends support each other, right?"

"Ryu… why? Why do you have so much faith in me?" Emilia asked as the Prince was able to see a more fragile, vulnerable side to his friend. He pursed his lips slightly as he watched the brewing Sea Tea before him. He eventually poured a cup of the drink once it was prepared, cooling it a little with ice magic, and placed the cup in front of Emilia silently. "The… the past I saw…" Emilia began as Ryu's eyes widened slightly. Was she really going to tell him? "It was a memory before I went to sleep, I think."

"Sleep?" Ryu took a seat next to Emilia at the table, a faintly concerned look in his eyes.

"I never told you that I was frozen in ice for a long time, did I?" Emilia smiled weakly. "I was frozen in that forest for so long… until Puck found me and got me out, I had been sleeping in the ice."

"How long?" Ryu asked hesitantly, wanting to know more. Not just to benefit his plans to help everyone, but to also better know his friend and running-mate.

"Since I was six or seven-years-old, maybe?" Emilia said, staring down at the clear cup of Sea Tea in front of her. "We all lived together in the forest before it froze, I think."

"You… think?" Ryu's concern only grew as his eyes softened. If this is what he thought it was, he could genuinely empathize with Emilia.

"I don't remember much from before that happened…" Emilia said, confirming his suspicions.

"And your family?" He asked in a gentle tone.

"My family wasn't in the forest. But there was someone who was like a mother to me…" Emilia then began to shake as she covered her mouth with a hand. "My… mother…" Recognizing that Emilia was on the verge of an emotional breakdown from repressed memories, he reached over and held her close, gently stroking her hair as he released some of his unique Peaceful Aura.

"It's okay, Emi. Take it slow. You don't need to tell me everything at once if you don't want to," Ryu murmured, his tone as kind and gentle as his touch. "But if you can tell me, and only if you really can, what happened to them?"

"The… same as me…" Emilia whimpered, bringing more pain to Ryu's own heart. He didn't want to hurt Emilia, but he genuinely needed to know, he wanted to help her, and to do that he needed to _know_ her. "They were frozen in ice… I lived in the forest, waiting with Puck for all of them to wake up. But that day never came…" Ryu listened closely the whole time, as Emilia's whimpers began to calm down as a side-effect of Ryu's calming aura. "So… I left the forest and joined the Royal Selection."

"Wait, what does that have to do with anything?" Ryu asked, though his tone didn't change much, if at all.

"Roswaal promised me…" Emilia began, as Ryu's eyes narrowed slightly, thinking back to the clown that he now genuinely despised. "He said that if I succeed at taking the throne, he could that the ice around the forest…" She hesitantly looked up at him as she said this. "I hope this doesn't make you think less of me. All the other candidates are participating with solid goals and resolutions, but my reason is so… so personal."

"So, that's the selfish reason you told me about, huh?" Ryu murmured. At her nod, Ryu sighed. "Emi, there's nothing wrong with wanting to save the people you care about. While some might see it as selfishness, I think there's nothing wrong with being selfish if it means you're saving people. Whether it be a few or a lot, it doesn't really matter as long as your intentions are pure."

"Ryu-kun… thank you… so much…" Emilia softly said, her voice slowly dying out as he noticed her body go limp as she fell asleep against him. Ryu smiled slightly.

"Guess my aura coupled with her exhaustion finally knocked her out, huh?" Ryu waved a hand, fixing up the cup of Sea Tea and drinking it himself since Emilia was asleep. He felt the magical rush of energy increase his physical stats, as well as give him an energy and speed boost. He then picked Emilia up, carrying her in a bridal carry and taking her back to her room, where he tucked her into bed. "..." His gaze eventually focused on Emilia's crystal, as his eyes narrowed in focus. "Sorry, Emi," Ryu muttered, as he reached out to touch said crystal, but found himself on the receiving end of a blast of freezing cold air. Ryu brought his hands back, as they instantly thawed due to his cold immunity, but that didn't mean he didn't feel annoyed. "Hey, Puck, least you could do is not try to freeze my hands off!"

" _Oh, I knew you'd be fine,"_ Puck's voice echoed from Emilia's crystal, his tone filled with amusement. " _I just needed to warn you to not try that again!"_

"Yeah, well consider myself warned," Ryu then sighed. "You know, your disappearing act hurt. It especially hurt Emi when you ran off."

" _I didn't exactly run off,"_ Puck's voice said. " _I've always been inside of her. It was a good thing for you to call me, though. You're a smart one, Ryu."_

"Yeah, yeah… you probably know why I called you, though," Ryu told the crystal, as his eyes narrowed. He knew this could hurt Emilia, but it was for her sake, to make her stronger and hopefully help her with the Trials. "I'm gonna need you to…"

* * *

"Emilia, I hope you're feeling alright…" Ryu weakly smiled at the girl, noticing the broken crystal and Emilia's heartbroken emotional state. He knew his actions caused Emilia pain, but he just hoped he could counteract said pain soon. He would do anything for Emilia, for his best friend.

"Yeah…" Emilia gave him an equally weak smile. "I'm sure… I will be. I want to believe I'll be just fine by morning." She eventually touched her crystal necklace, as Ryu's eyes softened considerably.

"A- I think you shouldn't fret over these kinds of things, I'm sure things will turn out okay in the end!" Ryu kept up his positive outlook for Emilia's sake, wanting nothing but to soothe his friend's pains after what he had done. Not just soothe them, but to send them into nothing but a numb pang, unnoticeable. "If there's anything I can do for you…."

He then felt something grab at his hand and looked down to see Emilia's intertwined with his. "Stay… stay with me for tonight. If you can… I think I can…" Ryu could hear the fragility in Emilia's voice as he bit the insides of his mouth slightly. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry. Please…"

"If that's what you want, Emi," Ryu said in a kind tone, closing his eyes with a genuine smile. "I'll stay with you for as long as you need." Ryu's eyes didn't flash to signify a lie, as in his own perception, what Emilia didn't need wasn't a new crutch. He wanted to see Emilia grow, to overcome her past, and become stronger. He cared about Emilia, but right now he needed to do this from a distance. As Ryu watched Emilia fall asleep, he sighed. "Shi, you're the tactician. What next."

" **Next, we leave,"** Shi told him a matter-of-fact tone. " **Follow my lead, it's about time I did my part to help you out with your crazy-ass plan."**

"Right," He nodded, before gently squeezing Emilia's hand one final time. "Sorry, Ice Queen. You're probably gonna hate me for this… but its for the best."

* * *

Was this the best course of action? Ryu genuinely had to believe so, if he was going to save everyone he cared about, he couldn't regret things or have doubts this far in. He knew Emilia would run off and hide after his leaving, but according to Shi, this course of action was _the_ best way to go along with things. Even if it was a gamble, this was the highest chance situation of things working out. Now, everything lied in his hands to fix. "Finally found you, Emi." He hummed as he walked through the stone-cold pathways of the Tomb, a faint, sad smile on his face. He looked down at Emilia as she stared up at him, before sitting down right next to the half-Elf. "I know you've got a lot to say to me, so… let's talk, eh?"

"Ryu…? You're… here?"

"You really thought this through, didn'tcha? No one would have thought to look for you here." He hummed softly, his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness of the Tomb, like dim lights.

"Why are you here, Ryu?" Emilia asked him, causing him to go silent. "You don't…"

"Get forced back as hard as Roswaal?" Ryu said, raising an eyebrow slightly as he then sighed. "I'm here, yeah, but right now I'm really just feeding off a whole lot of Determination that was fueled by the hopes and dreams of others. Probably the only thing keeping me from falling into a stress-induced coma or something." He tried to laugh off his own misfortune, knowing anyone else in his situation would have given up when faced with the threat of the Brown Leviathan.

"I… see…" Emilia murmured. Ryu bit the insides of his mouth again, steeling his resolve to support his friend one way or another.

"If I'm being honest, I didn't just track you with soul-sight or something like that," He said in an even tone. "This was all just wishful thinking, part of me wanted to think you'd be here, and luck turned out in my favor for once. But I'm relieved to have found you so quickly."

"Just… relieved, huh?" Emilia looked at him, faint hesitance in her eyes. "You're not angry?"

"What for?" Ryu raised an incredulous eyebrow. "I don't see a reason to be angry with you. I'm just happy to see you're alive and well."

"I see… you're not angry…" Emilia held her knees close to her chest. "You're not angry with me… you won't even get angry. Why won't you get angry?" Her eyes filled up with tears as Ryu could only watch his friend cry. "What I did was selfish, wasn't it? I caused trouble for you, didn't I? I worried you by leaving without saying anything!" Emilia then looked down as faint tears streamed down her face. "Are you not angry b-because you didn't expect anything from me in the first place? You're kind to me even when I mess up because you aren't even disappointed in me, right? Because you know it'll never go right?"

"No, Emi!" Ryu instantly denied, unable to even tolerate the idea of not caring about or putting down his friend. "That's not what I think at all!"

"Then why?!" Emilia snapped through her tears. "Why didn't you keep your promise?! You and Puck both broke your word and went away… you went away and left me behind! You're a liar, Ryu-kun! Puck is a liar! Liar…" She openly wept as she lost her composure and ended up leaning against Ryu. "You shouldn't break a promise! You shouldn't lie! It's wrong!" She cried while weakly hitting her hand against Ryu's chest, as if angry with him and wanting to actually hit him, but she didn't have the energy or drive to do so.

Ryu silently looked down, feeling a bit of self-loathing for bringing this much emotional pain to Emilia, but immediately found that feeling being stolen away by Shi, just as he said he would if he ended up hating himself for following through with the plan. But even still, he wasn't entirely sure on how to proceed. "...I-"

" _ **It's time you learned the truth of the situation, little Prince,"**_ He heard Austin's voice say as the world went gray and time stopped in its entirety. One moment later Ryu found himself back in his soulscape staring up at the massive spiky lizard-esque form of the Hate Origin. " _ **About your soul, about your destiny, and of your Destined Ones."**_

* * *

" **I know it's a lot, little brother, but trust me when I say this information is crucial,"** Ryushi said in a soothing tone once Austin had dumped about three tonnes of exposition on Ryu's head. He now knew of how he had been given… soulmates. Or more specifically, he had more soulmates in his current life than he did as Flugel.

Apparently, as Flugel, he had two or three possible soulmates, with Satella being one of them.

But now his number had increased since Flugel was merely a shard of his soul, it made sense in a way. He had Flugel's possible destined ones, in addition to more recent and newly living ones. One of which being… he looked at Emilia as a more determined look settled on his face, time resuming shortly afterward. "Emilia… I…" Was it strange to do this? In some ways, yes. But in others…

Soulmates weren't just rare to come across, they were immutable. Something that, if encountered, was inevitable and unbreakable. That was a factor in his current thought process. If Emilia was truly his soulmate, which was confirmed by the faint multicolored thread that he was now able to see connected him to Emilia, colored cyan, blue, red, and yellow; then it only made sense for him to accept what was meant to be, right? Plus… even back then, in _that_ timeline, he detected no lies when Emilia said that she loved him. This was a gamble. Ryu was going to take it, because he wasn't afraid of losing. He was going to win this, support his friends, and save the day somehow.

"Emi, I love you." He eventually declared as his eyes narrowed, the red one, in particular, having its color set permanently, a solid red with little-to-no shine. His Determination was far from fragile or limited now. "Every single day, you try your best to save the Sanctuary, going back to the same damn trial. I know your past hurts, I can understand that, probably better than anyone." He continued as Emilia stared up at him. "But the past is just that, in the past. It has no more control over us than we let it. It's up to us to learn from it, learn from our mistakes and keep going, for the people who cared about us if nothing else." His hand eventually reached over to grasp at his own jacket, as he closed his eyes. "I know that even if I wanted to take up these trials for you, even if I wanted to carry these burdens, you would deny me and insist you could do it. And I believe in you. I have back then, and still do now."

"R-Ryu…"

"But what I will not tolerate is seeing you cower in fear, Emi, because I know you're better than this. Greater than whatever damn trial is ahead of you," Ryu's eyes narrowed once he opened them and looked directly into Emilia's. "Especially now. Sure, Puck's run off or whatever, but does that mean you should really abandon your duties and the people who depend on you just so you can sulk and cry? So you can hide in fear?"

"I… you're right…" Emilia shivered slightly as she smiled weakly. "I can see why you would think of me that way…"

"But even still, I care about you, Emi. I've grown to be fond of you, and I will admit there were times I felt something towards you." Ryu confessed. "You're so much stronger than you think. You've got the heart of a kind person, and for someone in your position, people need that more than ever. I'm still processing things, and I'm admittedly a sheltered idiot when it comes to some things, but I am sure of this. I've grown to love you."

"How?! How can I believe you?!" Emilia tearfully asked. "How can I be sure you aren't lying to me? If you really love me, why did you break your promise? Why did you leave?!"

"...I can't tell you that, Emi," Ryu said, resolving himself to not give in or break, he _refused_ to give when he was close to completing Phase 1. "I wish I could, but I can't."

"If you had just stayed with me until morning, like you promised… Maybe… just maybe, I could have believed you." Emilia softly wept as tears began to fall to the floor. "I could have believed you and entrusted you with everything." _But that wasn't what he wanted, he didn't want to be entrusted with everything, he wanted to share the burden so she could grow and learn; not hide._ "But you… you didn't, and ever since Puck left, my memories have been slowly coming back. Sights in my mind that I don't recognize… conversations I don't remember… more and more of them keep coming back…" Emilia began to hug herself, as Ryu looked to the side momentarily. "I thought I remembered everything all this time, but I went and forgot them, as if they never existed. When all the memories come back, what's going to happen to me? Is this me… really me?"

Ryu could genuinely understand her plight, as he once had thought the same in the past, when his own memories returned; when he realized Ryushi was technically who he would have become if he didn't have his memories suppressed all those years ago. But even still, he was sure Emilia could overcome this just as he did because she was his friend and his soulmate. "I forgot so many things," Emilia continued as Ryu let her vent out her feelings. "I even forgot about mother. And yet, I'm not wrong?"

'What can I do…' Ryu thought before his eyes widened slightly. Eventually, he smiled. "Emilia, no matter what happens in the future, nothing's going to change who you are. I really do love you." He reaffirmed. "I always will. There are going to be moments in your life where you will doubt everything. You'll doubt yourself, you'll doubt your friends, you'll doubt your ability to help others. But I know you'll be able to overcome them with time."

"I can't believe that," Emilia denied as she shook her head vehemently. "Even if you say that now, are you really saying-"

"Emilia, I know how you feel and you know how I feel," Ryu interrupted her as his eyes hardened slightly. "I know you love me, and while there's a part of me who doesn't understand it, there's another that accepts it because I've grown to feel the same way." He then smiled as he reached out to gently touch Emilia's cheek and wipe away a tear with his thumb. "You don't need to worry, things will turn out okay in the end, alright Emi?"

"You're a liar! I can't believe you!"

* * *

_*** Ability - "SAVE" is available for usage.** _

* * *

"Then let me prove it to you!" Ryu declared as Emilia looked up at him. He quickly took her hands into his own, a faint rainbow glow surrounding them both as he immediately used his **SAVE** ability in a different way. To not just 'save' Emilia, but to transfer and show emotions.

Emilia's eyes widened as a torrent of emotions washed through her, the tears in her eyes magnifying as she recognized the source as Ryu. The boy that she admittedly had grown to love after he saved her and those children at the risk of his own safety. Ryu smiled at her as the glow slowly faded. "Do you understand now, Emi-!" He was cut off as Emilia quickly leaned in and stole his lips, kissing him passionately… but he didn't fight back.

Ryu felt something strange rush through his body, like a burning flame being fed oil and wood, amplifying its strength and heat. Moments later, he felt… stronger. More confident. More determined, as a side-effect of accepting the love of Emilia. Eventually, they both drew back as Ryu smiled. "Looks like you do understand… we'll always be together, Emi. Whether we be friends or something more, it doesn't matter to me as long as I have my first friend in this world on my side." He said in a kind tone. "Even if the whole world is against you, I will always be by your side. The bond we have, the bond of two friends who care about each other is strong, stronger than anything in the world."

"You… really love me?" Emilia hesitantly asked as Ryu nodded, his eyes shining blue. Emilia smiled slightly as tears ran down her face, this time being tears of happiness.

"I'm sure you've got a lot going on with all these unfamiliar memories going through your mind, that you're feeling anxious and scared. But I'll be here to guide you through it all," Ryu said, while inside of him both Austin and Shi smiled. "I'm not going to carry all your burdens, but I will help you handle them. This path you've taken, all the work you've put in to achieve your dreams, won't all be for naught. We can do this. You're going to be fine, Emi."

"How can you say that for sure, though?" Emilia asked him, both worried and curious. "How can you be sure that everything will be okay?"

"I have faith in my strength and the strength of my friends, to help me through my problems," Ryu calmly said. "I have hope that in the future, I'll be able to help all of the people I care about achieve their goals. My singular wish, my one dream, is to help others and make this world a better place with my Determination. All people are capable of greatness, it's just up to them to fight for that cause, for their goals. You'll be fine, Emi. I've always been on your side, and I'll continue to do so even in the future. We'll find a way to make it through this, and even if you're still scared, we'll find you a reason."

"A… reason?" Emilia asked again, as Ryu smiled again.

"A reason to fight, to continue," He replied in a kind tone. "I once lost my own way a long time ago, but found it and my Determination to go forward again through the help of someone who refused to give up on me." It wasn't Rem's _love_ that restored his determination, per-se, it was her faith in him. Even when he had lost all hope, she didn't, and Ryu's determination at that time returned because he subconsciously wished to prove her right. He wanted to believe he was the hero she said he could be. "Every soul has Determination, I just have more of it than others, so it surfaces as an actual power. I want to help you, to give you a goal that you can keep running after with a smile on your face. I know you can do whatever you put your mind to."

"My own reason to continue… my own Determination…?" Emilia softly whispered to herself as she held her crystal close to herself and smiled sadly. "I wonder if it's among all these memories I've been getting back…"

"It is in there, I'm sure of it, Emi." Ryu said. "And when everything is said and done, I'll still be here, supporting you to the very end."

Emilia looked up at Ryu with tears and love in her amethyst-colored eyes. "Yes… thank you, Ryu-kun."

" **He did good,"** Ryushi told Austin from within the soulscape, watching the scene with a genuine smile on his face.

" _ **He did a lot better than I was expecting, that's for sure,"**_ Austin yawned slightly, feeling exhausted as he hadn't gotten proper rest in while. Ryushi laughed in response.

" **Whaddya mean 'better than you were expecting'? It sounds like you expected him to fail somewhere!"**

" _ **This is Ryu we're talking about, of course I thought he'd mess up!"**_ Austin shot back, though his tone was lazy. " _ **You and I both know Ryu is emotions first, plan second. I was expecting to see him go on an emotional tangent and fuck something up."**_

" **Well, you should put more faith in Ryu, then,"** Ryushi then sighed contently. " **I'm proud of him… I believe he can pull this off."**

" _ **Good, can't have you against Ryu like Sei was,"**_ Austin sighed tiredly. " _ **Fucking hell… 'spirit of purity' my ass."**_

Back in the real world, Ryu and Emilia had made their way out of the Tomb as the Prince glared down at the bloodied and damaged form of Garfiel. "I probably kept you waiting, huh, Garf?"

"Ain't like I was waiting for you," Garfiel scoffed, as Ryu could feel the impending fight. But… he was ready for this. He didn't expect for Garfiel to be defeated by Otto, just for them to be held back, and his assistant did just that.

'Thanks, Otto. I really owe you one.' Ryu thought to himself, now ready for whatever was tossed at him since he had conquered the 'tough' part.

* * *

_**RE: DETERMINED** _

_**Act 4 (Heroism), Chapter 3 - One in A Million Bet (100** _ _**万人に一人 ベット** _ _**) - END** _


End file.
